The mayor of a South Carolina town was killed in a car crash on Tuesday afternoon while being chased by sheriff’s deputies, according to authorities.

George Garner II, the mayor of McColl, S.C., lost his life after his vehicle collided with another vehicle in Mechanicsville, S.C. at around 2:40 p.m. on November 26. Garner had recently been reelected as mayor of McColl, a small town with a population of about 1,900 in Marlboro County.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol confirmed to both South Carolina Public Radio and The State newspaper that Garner was driving a 2007 Chevy Tahoe when he veered into oncoming traffic, colliding with a Volvo tractor-trailer. He was the only person inside his vehicle and was taken to a nearby hospital where he unfortunately died from his injuries.

The truck driver sustained injuries and received treatment at the same hospital. The South Carolina Highway Patrol has not yet responded to a request for comments from YSL News.

Pursuit by Sheriff’s Deputy

Darlington County Coroner J. Todd Hardee stated on Tuesday that Garner was being pursued by a Marlboro County sheriff’s deputy at the time of the accident.

According to Hardee, “The pursuit was not related to any laws being broken. It was initiated to ensure the safety of Mr. Garner.” This statement was shared on his Facebook page.

Marlboro County Sheriff Charles Lemon informed WBTW News13 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. that while deputies were following Garner, they were not actively “pursuing him” when the fatal accident occurred. Deputies began trailing him after Garner’s wife reached out to the sheriff’s office, prompting them to check on him.

Hardee mentioned that the South Carolina Highway Patrol’s Major Accident Investigation Team is looking into the incident.

Efforts to contact the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday were unsuccessful.

Resignations and Investigations in McColl

Recently, last month, McColl’s police chief along with four other officials from the police department resigned, citing “‘unwanted and malicious behavior,'” in a message that has since been removed from social media, as reported by South Carolina Public Radio.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirmed on Wednesday that Mayor Garner is currently under an active investigation, but further details have not been provided.

This is a developing story and has been updated with new information.