On June 1 at approximately 8:39 p.m., the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit was dispatched to U.S. Hwy. 80, just East of Meldrim Road for a serious motor vehicle crash.

Preliminary investigation indicates that James Martin, 58, of Ellabell was attempting to pass a semi traveling west when it struck a passenger car head-on that was traveling east. The resulting collision resulted in the death of Martin at the scene  

Martin’s wife, who was riding a separate motorcycle, also crashed due to the debris from the initial impact and was transported to a local hospital with possible serious injuries.

The driver of the passenger car was also transported for treatment. Two other passengers were in the passenger car and complained of minor injuries. The driver of the semi was uninjured.

According to a Sheriff Department spokesperson, this crash remains under investigation by the Traffic Unit’s Crash Reconstruction team.