Traffic going into Mount Pleasant was closed for hours as police investigated the accident (Brandon Geier/WCIV)
(Brandon Geier/WCIV)
Adam Joseph Burnell (Courtesy: Charleston County Detention Center)
(Joe O'Neil/WCIV)CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) -- The northbound lanes of the Ravenel Bridge were closed for several hours Saturday morning, as police investigated a fatal drunk driving accident.
According to Charleston Police spokesman Charles Francis, the accident happened around 4:00 a.m. when a convertible Audi rear-ended a Mustang between the diamonds of the bridge.
"This caused the Mustang to go into a spin, hit the wall near the pedestrian path several times," Francis said.
The car then caught fire. According to the Charleston County Coroner's Office, the driver of the Mustang was badly burned and died at the scene. Sunday, the coroner identified the victim as 32-year-old Quentin Miller from Mount Pleasant.
The driver of the Audi was Adam Joseph Burnell, 32, of Mount Pleasant. Burnell was treated for minor injuries and was released from the hospital. Charleston Police then arrested him and charged him with Felony DUI.
During a bond court hearing on Sunday morning, Burnell's attorney told the judge that he had no prior record and has "strong ties in the community." The attorney also said that Burnell works as an assistant manager at Husk Restaurant in Downtown Charleston.
Burnell was released from the Charleston County Detention Center on a $52,349 surety bond.
