Following a catastrophic multi-vehicle incident that occurred Friday afternoon, February 27, 2026, on Celanese Road near the Interstate 77 southbound exit in Rock Hill, York County, the towns of Indian Land and Rock Hill, South Carolina, are still in mourning over the unexpected death of a beloved local woman.
Around 3:17 p.m. 21 year old Joel Laron Smith of Fort Mill was exiting Interstate 77 southbound onto Celanese Road at a high rate of speed when he lost control of his Hyundai Sonata. The vehicle became airborne crossed the median and slammed first into a Ford Ranger pickup truck before continuing out of control and striking a Toyota Sienna minivan traveling in the opposite direction.
The force of the impacts caused severe damage to all three vehicles with the minivan sustaining critical frontal damage that trapped its driver inside. First responders from the Rock Hill Police Department and emergency medical services arrived quickly to manage the chaotic scene amid heavy afternoon traffic.
Marybeth Robinson a devoted wife mother and community caregiver from the Indian Land area was driving the Toyota Sienna when her vehicle was struck. She sustained critical injuries and was rushed to Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill where she was later pronounced dead despite aggressive life saving efforts by hospital staff.
Known for her kindness compassion and unwavering support for family and friends Robinson left behind her husband Joey their two sons and a foster daughter who now face the unimaginable task of navigating life without her steady presence. Friends described her as someone who always put others first making her loss especially profound in the close knit Indian Land and Fort Mill circles where she was a familiar and cherished figure.
Smith was arrested at the scene without incident and transported to the York County Detention Center. Investigators determined that excessive speed was the primary factor in the crash with no indication of impairment or other external causes contributing to the loss of control. The Hyundai Sonata had no insurance coverage at the time of the incident further complicating the aftermath for all parties involved in the multi-vehicle collision on Celanese Road.
Rock Hill Police charged the 21 year old with reckless homicide and operating an uninsured vehicle both of which carry significant penalties under South Carolina law. He remains in custody as the case proceeds through the court system with detectives continuing to review surveillance footage from the interstate exit witness statements and vehicle data to build a complete picture of the events leading up to the 3:17 p.m. impact. The department has emphasized that such reckless behavior at highway off ramps poses an immediate threat to innocent drivers and passengers using the roadway daily.
The ongoing investigation by Rock Hill Police focuses on reconstructing the exact sequence and any additional factors at the Celanese Road scene while the family of Marybeth Robinson has begun making arrangements to honor her life through private services and community support networks.
A GoFundMe has been established to assist with funeral expenses and to provide for her children in the difficult months ahead. Residents in Indian Land and Rock Hill have expressed calls for stricter enforcement at the I-77 interchange reminding all drivers of the shared responsibility to maintain safe speeds and control especially when transitioning from high speed interstate lanes to local roads.
