Fatal South Carolina Car Crash: Family Of 'Overlooked' Victim Seeks Justice - FITSNews (2025)

In the early morning hours of September 10, 2020, two families on opposite sides of the country were permanently and irrevocably scarred following a horrific, head-on collision of two sport-utility vehicles on U.S. Route 521 in Georgetown county, South Carolina.

The crash occurred shortly after 5:00 a.m. EDT when the driver of a 2003 Ford Expedition – 37-year-old Taran Nolan – was traveling west in an eastbound lane on this divided, four-lane thoroughfare just south of Andrews, S.C.

While traveling in the wrong direction, Nolan’s vehicle struck a 2010 Cadillac Escalade driven by 49-year-old Glendora Holmes.

Holmes – who was driving in the proper direction at the time of the collision – was headed to the airport to visit her daughter and grandson in California. As fate would have it, Nolan – the wife of Costa Mesa high school football coach Jimmy Nolan – lives in California. She was on her way to Charlotte, N.C. with three of the couple’s four children at the time of the crash.

In fact, Nolan was on the phone with her husband in Southern California when the accident occurred.

“While on phone, Tar screamed and I heard a big collision,” Nolan, a former defensive back for the University of Utah, wrote on his Facebook page. “Everything went quiet and I heard Micki moaning. Then her phone went dead. I called back and went right to voicemail.”

The crash claimed Holmes’ life. It also claimed the life of the Nolans’ three-year-old daughter, Micki Nolan. Taran Nolan and two of her other children were critically injured – with Nolan suffering a severe spinal injury and her two surviving children suffering severe burns.


In the aftermath of this awful event, both families have benefited from an outpouring of public support – as well as financial contributions on GoFundMe pages. A page established for the Nolans has received nearly $400,000 of its half-million dollar goal (as of this writing) while a page established for Holmes’ family has received nearly $70,000 of its $100,000 goal (again, as of this writing).

Meanwhile, the tragedy (at least the Nolans’ part of it) was covered by Sports Illustrated – although its article did not mention Holmes, nor did it provide a link to her family’s GoFundMe page or reference the fact that her death was not her fault.

I am obviously not about to point fingers in the aftermath of a tragedy like this … both families have suffered immeasurably (beyond anything most of us could even conceive). Both families have endured irreplaceable losses. And both families need and deserve our support.

As this situation plays out in the courts, though, legitimate questions are being asked as to whether Holmes’ family is being treated fairly – especially as it relates to them receiving an equitable insurance settlement in connection with this tragedy.

Holmes (below, center) left behind four children and a grandchild – all of whom she supported financially. And again, she died due to no fault of her own.

(Click to view)

(Via: Provided)

“She loved her children and would go to the ends of the earth for them,” her high school friends wrote on her family’s GoFundMe page.

Many of those friends are now beginning to wonder … where is the justice for her? And for her family?

Regular readers of this news outlet are well aware that I do not subscribe to “woke” orthodoxy or other misapplied conceptions of “social justice.” In fact I frequently rebuke such misology and challenge its many intellectually dishonest narratives.

But this narrative seems pretty cut-and-dried to me … and the media coverage of it certainly seems unfair in its almost complete omission of Holmes’ story.

State representative Cezar McKnight of Kingstree, S.C. reached out to me this week to inform me he had been retained by Holmes’ family in connection with this matter. According to the fourth-term lawmaker, there are several issues he is concerned about related to this accident – especially issues related to insurance coverage – which have yet to be resolved to the satisfaction of Holmes’ family.

“The family of Ms. Holmes feels they have been denied justice with regard to the death of their mother,” McKnight told me earlier this week. “They are eagerly awaiting their day in court – where they hope all of the facts will finally come out so they can get the justice their mother deserves.”

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McKnight also made it abundantly clear how displeased he has been by the failure of the press to tell both sides of the story – especially as it related to Holmes’ life and her lack of culpability related to the crash.

“She was overlooked and swept under the rug as if she weren’t a person deserving of protection,” McKnight told me. “She is indeed a person who should be protected – and they are going to fight to make sure she gets the justice she is owed.”

According to the official S.C. Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) report on the crash (.pdf), Nolan’s insurance company is listed as “unknown.” What does that mean, exactly? I do not know … but I suspect this is one of the “issue” McKnight intends to raise in court.

Again, I am not about to point fingers at a family that lost a child – a family that is still grieving. And to be perfectly clear I am not accusing the Nolans of any sort of impropriety – nor am I suggesting Taran Nolan’s responsibility for this crash was in any way, shape or form anything other than accidental negligence.

My point is simply this: There was more than one life tragically cut short on that September morning – and as a result, more than one story which needs to be told here.

Stay tuned … I plan on keeping tabs on this case as it advances through the South Carolina court system, advocating on behalf of fairness and justice for all involved.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Fatal South Carolina Car Crash: Family Of 'Overlooked' Victim Seeks Justice - FITSNews (3)

Will Folksis the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children. And yes, he has LOTS of hats (including that lime green Daytona Tortugas’ batting practice lid pictured above).


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Fatal South Carolina Car Crash: Family Of 'Overlooked' Victim Seeks Justice - FITSNews (2025)

FAQs

How did Tar Nolan become paralyzed? ›

Welcome to the official page of Taran ("Tar") Nolan. Tar was paralyzed in a tragic car accident in 2020.

Who caused the Taran Nolan accident? ›

The accident reconstruction and all that showed that Ms. Holmes was speeding and the signage problem - the responsibility of the state of SC, that caused Ms. Nolan to be on the wrong side of the road on a dark, foggy morning. The impact was so bad because of the speeding of Ms.

What happens if you leave the scene of an accident in South Carolina? ›

Under South Carolina Code 56-5-1220: Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Property Damage to Attended Vehicles is a Misdemeanor offense. If convicted, you could face jail time, fines, or both. This offense carries a maximum jail sentence of one year and a fine ranging from $100 up to $5,000.

How many children does Tar Nolan have? ›

Jimmy and Tar Nolan's relationship

In 2008, they took their relationship to the next level and got married. Their love blossomed, and they seemed to be happy together. They were blessed with four kids, Paisley, Micki, Daisy, and Jimmy Jr. But, their marriage was not always a bed of roses.

What episode does Nolan get out of jail? ›

Season 3. In "Fear", Nolan is set free from jail when a fail-safe he installed in Carrion clears his name and exposes most of the Initiative, and Emily goes to pick him up, "returning" the favor.

What accident did Tar have? ›

On Sept. 10, 2020, Nolan was involved in a head-on collision in South Carolina that took the life of her youngest daughter, Micki, and Glendora Holmes, the driver of the other car.

Did Mike Nolan have an accident? ›

However, the band had a near-death experience in 1984 when their tour bus was involved in an horrific crash with a lorry. Mike suffered terrible head injuries and was left in a coma for three days. Ever since, he has suffered from memory problems, epilepsy and a loss of vision.

Why you should never leave the scene of an accident? ›

You should never leave the scene of a car accident before the police arrive, as it could lead to steep civil and criminal consequences.

Does a no fault accident go on your record near South Carolina? ›

Typically, a car accident in South Carolina will stay on your insurance record for three years. That is three years of additional insurance costs after a car accident, often regardless of fault.

Can you leave the scene of an accident if you didn t cause it? ›

Even if you did not cause your accident, you could face hit and run charges for the simple act of leaving. If you must leave the scene, it must be for a reasonable purpose, such as to get cell service to contact the local authorities. However, you must return to the scene as soon as you accomplish your purpose.

Does Nolan have a kid? ›

Nolan is married to Emma Thomas, whom he met at University College London when he was 19. She has worked as a producer on all of his films since 1997. The couple have four children and reside in Los Angeles.

How many children does the Nolan family have? ›

Early life. Coleen Patricia Nolan was born 12 March 1965 in Blackpool, England, to Irish parents. She is the youngest of eight children and the only one born in England.

Is Jimmy Nolan still married? ›

In the ever-evolving landscape of human relationships, the divorce of Tar Nolan and Jimmy Nolan serves as a poignant reminder of the intricacies that bind us together and, at times, drive us apart.

Do you go to jail for a hit and run in South Carolina? ›

You can be charged with a hit and run based solely on the act of you leaving the scene of a car accident you were involved in. In South Carolina, the penalties for a hit and run range from a misdemeanor to felony charges, including 30 days in jail to 25 years in prison, and fines of $100 to $25,000.

How long do you have to report a hit and run in SC? ›

File a hit and run report: South Carolina law requires you to report any accident, including a hit and run, to the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles within 15 days if the damage exceeds $1,000.

What to do after a car accident in SC? ›

Here are the important steps to take right after a car crash in South Carolina:
  1. Seek Medical Help. ...
  2. Contact the Police. ...
  3. Photograph the Accident Scene and Vehicles. ...
  4. Exchange Insurance Information with the Other Driver. ...
  5. Write Down the Names of Witnesses and Healthcare Providers. ...
  6. Find Out What Kind of Insurance You Have.

How long after car accident can you claim injury in SC? ›

In South Carolina, you generally have three (3) years from the date of an automobile accident to file a lawsuit for injuries or damages.

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