A major wreck trapped two motorists in their SUVs in Pawleys Island Monday afternoon.

The wreck happened around 4:45 pm on northbound US 17 (Ocean Highway) just before the South Causeway, officials said.

Three cars were involved in the wreck and the two victims who were trapped were freed within about 20 minutes by 15 firefighters and rescue workers, said Midway Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Carr Gilmore.

The wreck happened when a late-model Ford Explorer traveling southbound “at a high rate of speed” crossed over the median and into the northbound lanes, Gilmore said.

The Explorer completely flipped over and landed on its wheels, but in the process hit two other vehicles that each contained only a driver, Gilmore said.

In the collision, a woman in a Ford Escape was injured, cut out of her SUV and was taken to Grand Strand Regional Hospital, Gilmore said. Her injuries appear to be non-life-threatening.

The driver of the Explorer, who was the only person in that vehicle, was also cut out of his SUV and was taken to the same hospital, Gilmore said. That man’s injuries are more serious.

A third vehicle was also hit by the Explorer, but the driver of that car suffered only minor injuries and was treated at the scene, Gilmore said.

A woman driving with her three children told WBTW details about the wreck, which she said happened when a speeding car crossed the median and hit other vehicles.

"A car flew past us through the median and proceeded to weave in and out of the traffic any way they could get around .. going VERY fast," said Rebecca Porter, who was driving home at the time.

"I watched them ahead almost go into a ditch, then almost go into the opposite lanes of the highway. They got out of my sight, but then ahead I saw pieces of vehicles flying through the air."

Porter said that when she got to the scene at least two cars were involved.

"I approached the accident and saw that the vehicle had gone into the oncoming traffic (and) hit one maybe two other cars," she said.

She added that because of the wild driving of the one car, some motorists were alert.

"Plenty of people (southbound) saw it coming and were ready to stop when the wreck happened," Porter said.

The SC Highway Patrol and the Georgetown Sheriff’s Department are investigating.

From WBTW-TV 13

www.scnow.com