Charges pending after South Carolina police find semi truck fully submerged near boat dock

Police in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, are charging a semi truck driver after discovering his truck fully submerged near a boat dock.

At 10 a.m. on July 30, 2025, an adult male was detained by the Sullivan’s Island Police Department (SIPD) near Fort Moultrie and transported for medical evaluation.

“That night, the police department was contacted by a commercial trucking company reporting that one of their drivers was missing and had not made contact. The company’s tracking software last indicated the vehicle’s location near the Town’s boat landing in the 900 block of Osceola Avenue. After reviewing the coordinates provided, officers determined that the truck was likely submerged in the water. Further investigation confirmed that the previously detained individual was the driver of the vehicle,” SIPD said in a news release.

On the morning of July 31, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol Unit used sonar to locate a submerged vehicle in the water near the Sullivan’s Island Fire Department dock.

Divers confirmed that the truck was submerged under 14 feet of water.

A heavy-duty wrecker was brought in to recover the truck.

SIPD identified the truck as a 2022 International Sleeper Cab registered to a Kentucky-based commercial carrier.

The Coast Guard responded to the scene.

Criminal charges are pending against the truck driver, SIPD said.