20-year old killed in 3-vehicle accident

A 20-year old Oconee County man died in what the state patrol calls a three-vehicle crash last evening on South Carolina 11, not far from the 24 intersection. Coroner Karl Addis said Gabriel Anson Hochstetler of Rodgers Road, Seneca died at the scene. According to trooper Joe Hovis, the vehicles involved were a Toyota driven by Hochestetler, a tractor trailer driven by Mary Resarias Rauno of Lawrenceville, Georgia, and a Kia driven by Matthew Aaron Copes of Goose Creek. Hovis says the Toyota and the Kia were headed north on 11 and the tractor trailer south when Hochstetler’s Toyota took “evasive” action to avoid the Kia which slowed down to turn into a private drive. According to the trooper, the Toyota went left of center and collided head-on with the tractor trailer. No charges were made, and the coroner says Hochstetler’s death is accidental. No autopsy is planned.