Altercation may have been a factor in death

Editor

jevans@pickenssentinel.com

GREENVILLE - Investigators are trying to determine if an earlier altercation played any role in a Clemson mother's death Friday morning.

Andrea Leigh Albertson, 23, of 1702 N. Lake Drive, was pronounced dead at the scene after her car went off the road Friday morning, said Lance Cpl. Kathy Hiles with the S.C. Highway Patrol.

The collision occurred ay 4 a.m. as Albertson was traveling north on McMahan Road, just off of S.C. 20 in the Piedmont area, Hiles said.

Albertson's 2000 Volvo sedan went off the left side of the road on a curve, struck a bridge abutment, left the road again and struck a small building, similar to a utility shed, Hiles said.

Albertson was not wearing a seatbelt, Hiles said.

Cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries to the head, chest and body, said Greenville County Deputy Coroner Mike Ellis.

While the cause of death has been identified, the manner of Albertson's death has not yet been determined, Ellis said.

While working the scene, Coroner's office officials received word that Albertson had been involved in an earlier altercation on Old Pelzer Highway, Ellis said.

"We passed that along to the Highway Patrol and the Greenville County Sheriff's Office," he said.

While the investigation is still ongoing, Ellis said so far no out of the ordinary injuries have been found on Albertson's body.

"The pathologist has not found any injuries that would be inconsistent with a traffic accident," he said.

Complete autopsy results may take up to six weeks to arrive, Ellis said.

"The manner of death is still pending a complete investigation," he said. "The accident is still under investigation by our office and the Highway Patrol."