Columbia man killed in crash on Grindstone Parkway

A Columbia man died Sunday after his car struck a utility pole at a busy intersection south of town around 2 p.m.

Gabriel Watkins, 27, had to be extricated from his Toyota Camry and died Sunday afternoon at University Hospital a couple hours later.

Columbia police said in a news release the cause of the crash was unknown.

An investigation showed Watkins’ car went off Grindstone Parkway and into the grass. It then returned to the road and hit a curb before becoming airborne and striking a utility pole and cement base.

Watkins was not wearing a seat belt. Police say he was pinned to the steering column before he was removed from the car and rushed to University Hospital.

The vehicle sustained major damage.

Traffic on Grindstone Parkway was stopped for nearly an hour Sunday afternoon for the rescue operation and clean up.