A Georgetown County woman has been charged in the hit-and-run death of Kingstree High School teacher and coach Sonya Burgess.

Daveline Holmes, 37, is charged with reckless homicide and leaving the scene of a collision involving death.

The crash happened just after 6:30 p.m. Monday  on Highway 52 near the intersection with Cades Road, just outside the Cades community.

Troopers also say that Holmes pulled out in front of Burgess causing her to lose control and overturn. They say Burgess was ejected from her car during the accident and was lying in the roadway when she was hit by another car and both Holmes and the other driver left the scene.

At a bond hearing Wednesday, Holmes’ attorney says she was driving to see her child play basketball and had no idea she hit someone. The lawyer says Holmes didn’t know about Burgess’ death until she called authorities.

Coroner Harrison McKnight said three children were in the car with Burgess and all were treated and released from the hospital.

Throughout the day Tuesday, Burgess’ friends, family members and co-workers tried to come to grips with her sudden death. Burgess worked for the Williamsburg County School District for the past 13 years, and spent the past decade coaching basketball and volleyball teams.

School officials had grief counselors on hand to help students and staff cope with the loss.

Burgess left behind a husband and three young children.

“For years, she has been the epitome of our household, keeping everybody together, keeping everybody strong and we just want everybody to know that she truly is a great woman...not was, but is,” said Marcus Burgess.

“She always helped me with my homework, always picked me up from school, took me to basketball practice, but really she was just the best woman I’ve ever met...she could beat my girlfriend, or anyone else, she just outnumbered any woman in the world,” 12-year-old Marcus Burgess II said of his mother.

“If the individual who may have caused the accident would have simply stopped to go check on them to see if they were alright, then my wife may still be here today,” Burgess said.

The Kingstree girls basketball team will play for the Class A Lower State title on Saturday in Florence.

Family and friends will hold a funeral service for Burgess on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Kingstree Senior High School.

From WBTW TV 13

www.wbtw.com