Officials said a sudden strong gust lifted the umbrella from a patio table during storms over Memorial Day weekend.
SUMMERTON, SC — A 56-year-old South Carolina woman died Saturday evening after a patio umbrella was blown from a table and struck her while she was dining at a Lake Marion restaurant, county officials said.
Dana Weinger, of Huger, was identified by Clarendon County Coroner Jacqueline Blackwell after the incident at Driftwood Grill Home of the Lazy Gator. The death is being investigated as an accident, and officials said an autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
The incident happened around 7:40 p.m. May 23 as storms moved through the Lake Marion area. Weinger and her husband were eating on the restaurant’s patio when a sudden strong wind blew an umbrella loose from a table, according to the coroner’s office. Emergency crews responded to the restaurant, where Weinger was found unresponsive with injuries to her head and neck. Clarendon County Sheriff Tim Baxley said the umbrella struck Weinger in the neck and severed her carotid artery. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Driftwood Grill said the death occurred during a “sudden severe weather event at Lake Marion” and said the incident affected guests, staff, first responders and others in the community.
Clarendon EMS, Fire Rescue and law enforcement responded after a 911 call was made from the restaurant. Officials have not said how many people were on the patio at the time or whether anyone else was injured. Blackwell said the force of the wind moved more than the umbrella, with furniture and other debris also displaced near where people were sitting. “This is not an everyday occurrence,” Blackwell said, describing the death as a rare and tragic event. The restaurant sits along Lake Marion in Summerton, near the Interstate 95 bridge on the Clarendon County side of the lake, an area that draws boaters, travelers and local diners.
The death came during the Memorial Day weekend, when restaurants and waterfront areas around the lake typically see larger crowds. Officials have not announced any criminal investigation or allegation of wrongdoing. The coroner’s office said the case is being handled as an accident while the autopsy remains pending. Authorities have not released a final cause and manner of death beyond the preliminary account that Weinger was struck by the windblown umbrella. The restaurant said it was cooperating with those involved and focused on supporting people who witnessed the incident. No public hearing or enforcement action had been announced as of Tuesday.
Driftwood Grill released statements after the incident expressing sympathy to Weinger’s family and thanking emergency personnel and community members who responded. “Our hearts are with the family, friends, and loved ones affected by the tragic incident,” the restaurant said. In a later statement, the restaurant said a support session was held Monday with authorities, chaplains and grief support team members for staff, guests and others affected by the events of Saturday night. The restaurant said the session helped people who were emotionally affected by the death. Officials did not release further details about Weinger’s husband or other family members who were present.
The autopsy scheduled for May 27 in Charleston is the next formal step in the case. County officials said the investigation remains open as an accidental death review, and no additional injuries had been publicly reported by Tuesday.
Author note: Last updated May 26, 2026.