Vigil to honor Colleton County mother, daughters killed in deputy-involved crash

WALTERBORO, S.C. (WCSC) - The Colleton County community will gather Friday night to remember three women killed on Mother’s Day in a crash involving a deputy.

Stephanie Dantzler, 53; and her daughters, Shanice Dantzler-Williams, 28; and Miranda Dantzler-Williams, 22; died at approximately 11 p.m. Sunday when their vehicle and a patrol vehicle driven by a Charleston County deputy who was responding to a call for a disabled vehicle collided on Savannah Highway at New Road.

Community activist groups announced plans for a candlelight vigil and balloon release at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Colleton High School’s stadium in Walterboro.

As the family prepares for three funerals, loved ones remember the three women as tight-knit, kind and loving.

Pastor Eric Campbell is the family’s spiritual leader and cousin by marriage. The three women were members of his church.

“They all were close, if you see one, you see the other two, Stephanie Miranda, Shanice,” Campbell said.

Stephanie Dantzler’s brother, Eric, said his sister was a “sweet, loving person.”

“She would give you the shirt off her back. Everybody loved her, we are a close-knit family,” he said.

Eric and Darrin Dantzler said Stephanie was the oldest of the three siblings. They described her daughters as smart, kindhearted young women.

Shanice was an accountant who worked for Colleton County.

“She was just a sweet person, she was just like Stephanie, she was outspoken like that, have fun,” Eric said.

The day before the crash, the family celebrated Miranda’s graduation from Claflin University in Orangeburg where she received her degree in criminal justice. The family says she was in the process of deciding her future plans.

“She was the life of the party,” Eric said. “Miranda called us at school, you know, she need something, she called us, checking on us. Just so sweet when she graduated, it touched our hearts, ‘cause she came a long way.”

The family announced funeral plans earlier this week.

They will hold a visitation Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Koger’s Mortuary at 508 South Jefferies Blvd. in Walterboro.

The funeral will take place Saturday at 11 a.m. at Walterboro Christian Center, at 320 Robertson Blvd. in Walterboro.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.