CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The family of two brothers killed in a 2023 crash has sued both the City of Charleston and the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

James and Earl Hamilton both died in the crash on Nov. 18 when a car left the roadway on Riverland Drive and collided with a tree known as the “widowmaker tree”.

The driver of the car, Brittney Roper, was charged two months after the crash with four counts of felony DUI.

A toxicology report at the time of her arrest showed she had a blood alcohol concentration was 0.090% and detected the presence of THC.

Mitchell Watson and Tyler Barron were also killed in the crash.

The suit claims the City of Charleston and SCDOT should have removed the hazardous tree and provided protection to prevent motorists from hitting it.

Both t

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