Justice for Meg Jenkins

Megan Jenkins, who was a beloved and inspiring guidance counselor and assistant track coach from Ashley Ridge High School in Summerville, South Carolina, was tragically killed on the morning of September 8, 2019, while riding her bicycle on U.S. 78 in Dorchester County, South Carolina, when she was run over from behind by a reckless driver. 

Despite overwhelming evidence to charge the driver with reckless vehicular homicide, the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) refuses to do so.  According to the SCHP, Megan’s life is worth a mere $232 traffic ticket for the driver’s failure to maintain her lane.  The traffic hearing is set for July 20, 2020.

Justice and the evidence demand that the driver be charged with more than a traffic ticket.

Information released publicly under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act shows that the driver that ran down Megan wasn’t wearing glasses as required by her license, had several bags of crushed oxy in the vehicle, admitted to snorting oxy fewer than 10 hours before running down Megan, stated to a trooper when asked to give a blood or urine sample that “it’s gonna be in there,” ignored Megan and her flashing red tail light visible for three-quarters of a mile and 53 seconds of driving time, placed a telephone call as she approached Megan, departed the driver’s lane, crossed the fog line into the right shoulder of the road where Megan was riding to strike and kill her, stated that she didn’t see Megan, and denied repeatedly to the investigating trooper that she was on her telephone.

All of the driver’s statements and other evidence are in the dash cam video, audio, photographs, SCHP Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team records, and other information released publicly under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act.  

That morning the SCHP ignored, and to this day continues to ignore, the fact that the driver was not wearing glasses as required by her South Carolina driver’s license and South Carolina law.  Driving without glasses is a key point as the driver told the investigating trooper and 911 operator that she didn’t see Megan. None of the troopers asked if the driver didn’t see Megan because she wasn’t wearing her glasses, where her glasses were, or how bad her vision was. 

By itself, deciding to not wear glasses as required by South Carolina law is reckless driving.  If that weren’t enough, adding together all of the other evidence that morning surely must be reckless driving. 

Meg’s death is absolutely devastating to her family, students, and colleagues at Ashley Ridge High School.  How can state officials say they did justice for Megan and other citizens of South Carolina?    

The SCHP must protect the public and hold the driver accountable to reckless vehicular homicide.  

Show your support for Megan and public safety today.  Contact the SCHP, First Judicial District Solicitor, Director of the Department of Public Safety, your State senator or representative, the Attorney General, Governor, or any other elected official. 

Megan and the public deserve much better than this!