City of Loris mourns after employee is killed in head-on crash on U.S. 701
Family members and employees of the City of Loris are mourning the loss of a 34-year-old public works department employee.
Anthony D. Melvin, of Loris, died in a Sunday night head-on motorcycle crash on U.S. Highway 701, Horry County Deputy Coroner Christopher Dontell said.
Mary Young, Melvin’s girlfriend for the last 12 years, said Melvin had a good heart and always cared about others.
“He was our rock, our backbone,” Young said.
Melvin, whose nickname was Rabbit, is survived by his mother, Francis Green, 16-year-old son Malik Baldwin, and a number of siblings. He is the son of the late Jasper Melvin.
The 34-year-old took on the responsibility of helping Young with her five children, she said. He loved oldies music and was well-known in the Loris community, Young said.
Melvin started working with the city in November 2012 and was a water department crew leader.
“We have employees who are struggling that worked side by side with him,” said Kenya Wright, City of Loris clerk. “He never came into the office without a smile.”
Wright said Loris employees feel like they have lost a family member, and citizens have also been impacted by Melvin’s death.
Sunday’s crash involved three vehicles around 9:30 p.m. on U.S. 701, just north of Loris, officials said. Melvin, driving a motorcycle, was traveling south on 701 and attempted to pass a vehicle, said Cpl. Judd Jones with the South Carolina Highway Patrol. As Melvin moved into the north lane to pass the vehicle, the motorcycle collided head-on with a vehicle traveling in the same lane, Jones said.
Melvin was pronounced dead at the scene.
The drivers in the other two vehicles were wearing seat belts and were not injured, Jones said.
S.C. Highway Patrol is investigating.
This story was originally published July 30, 2019 at 11:23 AM.
