BISHOPVILLE, S.C. (WIS) – The family of a 74-year-old Bishopville man says his death should be a wake-up call after he was struck and killed on the highway outside of his assisted living facility, a home the state has already ordered to close.
Lee County Coroner Larry Logan confirmed that Leroy Eugene Davis died early Tuesday morning after being hit by a tractor-trailer along U.S. 15, about three miles from Cottonwood Villas, where he lived.
Last week, the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) revoked Cottonwood’s license to operate, citing repeated safety violations. That order is set to take effect at the end of October.
Davis’ death now increases scrutiny of supervision at the troubled facility.
For Davis’ great-niece, Nita Grimes, the decision from the state comes too late.
“The last two days have been just a nightmare that I pray that I could wake up out of,” Grimes said. “I know that god is in the midst of all this heartache, and the assignment that my uncle had was to bring awareness.”
She said she had long raised concerns about supervision at Cottonwood but felt powerless to protect her uncle.
“To be hit at 4:55 a.m., he was out for a long time, and no one could account for him,” Grimes said.
Grimes described her uncle as a jokester with an infectious smile and deep dimples, someone who brought joy to his family.
“I feel blessed because I have dimples behind him, and he was just everything to our family,” she said.
Grimes would drive from Columbia every two weeks to check on her uncle.
She said her family had pushed for better conditions inside Cottonwood, where they reported issues with cleanliness and oversight.
After repeated complaints, Grimes said the South Carolina Department of Social Services was in the process of transferring Davis to another facility when the accident happened.
“It just feels like it’s too late,” she said. “It feels like we started it, but we weren’t aggressive enough with it, but now we’re faced with the tragic reality that my uncle is gone.”
Grimes said she was stunned by the lack of communication from Cottonwood staff after his death.
She hopes her uncle’s death sparks changes at all facilities across the state that care for the elderly and those who cannot care for themselves.
“Even though our loved ones are here, we still want the best for them,” Grimes said. “We still want someone to care for them. Don’t punish us for not having the capacity to take care of our family members.”
DPH confirmed it is investigating the incident.
Cottonwood Villas has not yet filed an appeal of the state’s order, though one of its owners, Dirk Heiser, indicated on Friday that they intended to.
DPH noted that it does have the authority to shut down the facility sooner than 45 days if conditions pose an immediate threat to residents.
Staff at Cottonwood told WIS they are “devastated” about Davis’ death, but declined to comment further.
Heiser has not responded to a request for comment on this situation.
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