South Carolina: Mount Pleasant Police charged Joseph Granger with felony DUI in death of Zachary Grooms

Mount Pleasant Police Dept. S.C. patrol car

Mount Pleasant Police Department

Zachary Grooms killed by DUI driver in Mount Pleasant SC on 121216

Collision Update: Joseph Granger, 52, from VA has been charged with Felony DUI in connection with the collision on the IOP Connector.  Police say that once he is released from MUSC he will be transported to the Charleston County Detention Center.

On Tuesday, the Charleston County Coroner’s Office identified the victim of the collision as 23-year-old Zachary Grooms of Hanahan.

According to the Mount Pleasant Police Department, Grooms was headed toward the Connector Sunday afternoon on a motorcycle when a vehicle turned left off of Riviera Drive into his path. Police say that Grooms struck the driver’s door area of the car and died at the scene.

The cause of death was blunt force trauma, according to Charleston County Deputy Coroner Sara Senn.

The Family asks for assistance

The Grooms/Estep family is asking for your assistance with the funeral expenses for their son Zachary Grooms. Zachary suddenly passed away on Sunday, December 11, 2016, and his family is left with unexpected expenses. Any donation is appreciated, and any unused funds will be used to create a Coker College tennis scholarship in his honor.

The Grooms/Estep family is asking for your assistance with the funeral expenses for their son Zachary Grooms. Zachary suddenly passed away on Sunday, December 11, 2016, and his family is left with unexpected expenses. Any donation is appreciated, and any unused funds will be used to create a Coker College tennis scholarship in his honor.

Zachary Stevenson Grooms HARSVILLE, SC – A celebration of life service for Mr. Zachary Stevenson Grooms will be held on Thursday, December 15, 2016 at 4:00pm at Wesley United Methodist Church. Rev. Fran Elrod will officiate, directed by Norton Funeral Home. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services at the church. Zachary Stevenson Grooms, age 23, formerly of Hartsville, South Carolina, passed away suddenly on Sunday, December 11, 2016. Born in Jacksonville, North Carolina on October 27th 1993 to Paul Gilbert Grooms and Clairissa Lynn Estep (Morehouse), Zach had a passion for life second to none. Whatever Zach did, it was at a whirlwind pace. Zach loved the game of tennis and developed quickly into a top player. All who played with him and against him knew his fierce competitiveness and passion for the game. Playing at the varsity level as an 8th grader, he eventually rose to team captain at Hartsville High School, where he was in the graduating Class of 2012. He went on to play collegiate level tennis at Coker College, acting as co-captain and then assistant coach in his final semester at the school. Zach also served as Head Coach of the Women’s tennis team at the Governor’s School of Science and Mathematics. He also loved spending summers coaching young athletes through various tennis camps, as well, where he was well loved both on and off the courts as “Coach Zach”. Zach loved working on his own cars and motorcycles. He spent many hours working, sometimes until well after dark just to say that, “He did it himself”. He loved spending time riding his motorcycle, expressing that he felt so much peace in those moments. The lives that Zach touched are too numerous to note here, but any that had the pleasure of meeting him, knew that he was something special. He never thought twice about opening up his home and his heart to anybody that needed it, giving as much as he could to fill any needs that he saw. He enjoyed helping others, as evidenced by various community service projects and missions trips. He had a great sense of humor, an infectious smile and this incredible ability to make sure that you knew how special you were to him. As a devoted friend, if Zach loved you, he always loved you. His years were much too short, but his love was always for keeps. To say that he was dedicated doesn’t quite convey who he was, then again there simply aren’t enough adjectives to describe this wonderful, passionate young man. He was a wonderful friend, a dedicated brother and a loving son, nephew, grandson and cousin. All of us who are left behind are simply shattered, there is nothing in this life that will fill the void his absence has created. Our only comfort is in knowing that we will be united with him again, someday in the Lord’s Kingdom. Zachary is survived by his parents, Frederick & Clairissa “Crissi” Estep of Hartsville and Paul “Gil” Grooms of Hanahan; siblings, Alexis Morgan (Michael) Martin of Florence, Raegen Kathleen Grooms, Hannah Grace Estep, Frederick William “Will” Estep, Jr., and Benjamin Joseph Estep of the home, as well as Gretchen Marie and Megan Lea Estep of Texas; grandparents, Larry and Thea Stevenson of Lexington, Paul and Gail Grooms of Charleston, Patricia and Timothy Hart of Charleston and Marie Estep of Hartsville; great-grandmother, Mary Stevenson of Cayce; aunts, Jennifer Grooms (Stephen) Rowe of California, Melinda Grooms (Michael) Butler of Nevada, Heather (Darrell) Allen of Bishopville; and uncle, Charles (Crystal) Morehouse of Lexington. He is also lovingly remembered by cousins, Robert (Emily) Hatfield, Patrick Claytor, Sydney Backer, Will Cody Rowe, Annagrace Butler; Kathryn and Blake Morehouse; Tyler, Bridget, Samuel, Ethan, Abigail, and Gwendolyn Buddenborg. He also leaves behind his best friend, who he called brother, Rod Russell and honorary sister, Niki Watson, as well as godmother, Paula (Brian) Callahan. He is also lovingly remembered by a myriad of other extended family and friends. He was predeceased by great-grandparents, Jean and Ralph Rhodes, Jack and Rita Grooms, Henry Stevenson and Fred Estep. Norton Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Grooms family.