Beloved music teacher dies in head-on crash while driving to school, SC officials say
UPDATE: Luke Sheppard, 28, was arrested and charged with felony DUI resulting in death in the crash that killed an Upstate teacher on April 22, South Carolina Highway Patrol confirmed. Sheppard was booked into the Union County Detention Center on June 13 and is being held without bond, online records show.
Original story continues below.
“Beloved,” “professional” and “the epitome of a dedicated educator.”
That’s how an Upstate South Carolina community is remembering first-year music teacher Stephen Jennings, 31, who died in a car crash on his way to work at Sims Middle School last week, multiple news outlets reported.
Jennings was killed around 8 a.m. on April 22 when a Freightliner bucket truck heading north on Highway 176 crossed the center line and hit Jennings’ Ford Expedition head-on, according to South Carolina Highway Patrol. He died at the scene and the other driver was taken to a hospital for treatment.
It’s unclear if the other driver, identified as 28-year-old Luke Sheppard, could be charged in the crash.
Union County Schools mourned Jennings’ death in a tribute posted on the district’s Facebook page, writing: “There are times when words are so insufficient. Our district and community lost a wonderful man, teacher, colleague, friend, and mentor this morning.”
Sims Middle School principal Dr. LaTunya Means remembered the music teacher’s happy disposition, calling him “such an amazing man.”
“He always brought love and light each morning as he met the students with a smile and kind words to help them make it through the day,” Means told McClatchy News in a statement. “He was an accomplished professional musician, and he was the epitome of a dedicated educator. Please pray for his family, our work family, and our community as we grieve.”
Outside of the music room, Jennings spent his time performing as an organist and singer at local churches, Union County Schools spokesman Eric Childers told WSPA.
“His influence expands more than just this year, because he’s a product of our school system,” Childers said. ”He grew up here. He went to high school here. He plays in churches. He was a minister around these parts. His finger tips and his impact was pretty much on every student that we had at the school this year.”
Jennings was scheduled to chaperone a student field trip the day of the crash, Childers told the news station. He was about a mile away from campus when his SUV was hit.
Limestone University, Jennings’ alma mater, also honored him with a tribute highlighting his love for teaching and his work with the university’s Call Me MISTER program.
“The overall goal of the Call Me MISTER program is to increase diversity in the classroom, but it is also the mission of the program to give minority students the hope of aspiring to be a teacher,” the university said.
Union is about 70 miles northwest of Columbia.
This story was originally published April 25, 2022 at 11:59 AM with the headline "Beloved music teacher dies in head-on crash while driving to school, SC officials say."