EASLEY — A Greenville man was killed following a high-speed pursuit last Friday near Rock Springs Baptist Church in Easley.

According to Pickens County Coroner Kandy Kelley, Gerald Edward Garraux, 52, of 1618 East Saluda Lake Road in Greenville, was killed when he lost control of the car he was driving and overturned.

Kelley said Garraux died from blunt force trauma after being ejected from the vehicle. He was not wearing a seat belt when the wreck occurred.
Officers from the Easley Police Department responded at approximately 1:15 p.m. to Powdersville Road and Mossie Smith Road to investigate an accident, according to a release from the department.

Upon arriving on scene, one of the drivers of the vehicles involved fled the scene on foot towards Forest Park Subdivision. Officers observed a red Pontiac leaving Forest Park subdivision with no license plate driven by a white male matching the description of the suspect that ran from the scene of the accident previously reported.

On Powdersville Road, an officer attempted to stop the red Pontiac, which was attempting to elude officers at a high rate of speed. The suspect turned onto Rock Springs Road, where the vehicle continued to accelerate before losing control. The vehicle left the roadway near Patrick Avenue and flipped multiple times, ejecting the suspect. The vehicle came to rest upside down on top of the suspect.

The one-car collision where they suspect died is being investigated by the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

The red Pontiac that the suspect was driving was reported stolen moments later from Forest Park Subdivision. The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office is working the vehicle theft.