A 56-year-old woman died after a loose umbrella struck her during a sudden severe thunderstorm at a lakeside restaurant in South Carolina over Memorial Day weekend.
Dana Weinger, from Huger, was dining at the Driftwood Grill on Lake Marion on Saturday when strong winds sent an umbrella flying into her neck, severing her carotid artery, according to Clarendon County Coroner Jacqueline Blackwell.
Emergency responders found Weinger unresponsive with a laceration to her head and neck. Despite life-saving efforts, she was pronounced dead at 8:43 p.m. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday, and her death is being investigated as an accident.
Blackwell described the storm as a microburst that knocked over furniture and debris. Weinger was dining with her husband and other family members at the time.
Driftwood Grill expressed condolences in a Facebook statement, thanking first responders and asking for privacy for the family. The restaurant said the incident has deeply affected the community.
