The families of a Johns Island man and Walterboro woman who died in a crash in West Ashley one day after Christmas in 2021 are suing the estate of the alleged drunk driver who caused their deaths.
Donna Bryan, the sister of Chad Belue, and Jesse Rapue, the son of Lea Cook, filed the lawsuit on May 16 in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Common Pleas.
The suit not only names the estate of the alleged drunk driver, Crystal Henderson, who died roughly one month later from injuries she suffered in the crash; The families are also suing David Walker, Henderson's husband at the time, who they say entrusted Henderson with his vehicle with knowledge that she was under the influence.
On Dec. 26, 2021, Charleston police say Belue and Cook were riding on a motorcycle on Magwood Drive when, near the intersection of Ashley Crossing Drive, a woman driving a Nissan Sentra veered across the center line and struck the pair head on.
Belue and Cook were killed, and a person on a second motorcycle was also injured.
The driver of the Sentra, later identified as Henderson, was listed in critical condition in the aftermath of the crash.
Detectives brought charges against Henderson – two counts of Felony Driving Under the Influence (DUI), one count of DUI and one count of Open Container; however, due to her injuries and eventual death, Henderson was never prosecuted.
The families are suing for damages to cover funeral costs as well as punitive damages to be determined by a jury.
The full lawsuit can be viewed in the embedded document below or online by clicking here.