Woman who struck Good Samaritan pleads guilty

A 46-year-old Woodruff woman admitted Tuesday she was driving a tractor-trailer under the influence of cocaine last July 9 when she caused a wreck on Interstate 85 in Cherokee County that nearly killed a Good Samaritan.

Sherry Davis pleaded guilty to felony driving under the influence with great bodily injury and was sentenced in Spartanburg County by Circuit Court Judge Mark Hayes to 15 years in prison, which was suspended to six months imprisonment with five years of probation, substance abuse counseling and 12 months of intensive probation, according to the 7th Circuit Solicitor's Office.

Travis B. Fortson, 32, of Greenville, lost a leg and suffered other major injuries after being struck by Davis' tractor-trailer. Fortson had stopped his car in the emergency lane near mile marker 88 of the interstate to assist other motorists involved in an unrelated fender-bender.

Investigators determined Davis was driving between 67 and 77 mph in a 65 mph zone when she approached the scene of the fender-bender and lost control of her truck, which jackknifed. Her truck struck Fortson and several bystanders before ending up in a ditch.

A drug test showed she had cocaine in her system and she reportedly admitted to police she had ingested $30 worth of cocaine and some beer a few days before the wreck.

The 7th Circuit Solicitor's Office relayed that Fortson is recovering but didn't feel well enough to attend Tuesday's court proceedings. His wife and father asked the court for leniency in sentencing Davis, the Solicitor's Office said, wanting treatment for Davis instead of incarceration.