Elbert Clark Koon killed when his vehicle leaves roadway and crashes into embankment.

A 77-year-old man was killed in a wreck Saturday, shortly after he left the funeral home where he paid final respects to his wife.

The Cherokee County Coroner said 77-year-old Elbert Clark Koon, of Gaffney died in a single vehicle motor vehicle collision Saturday.

The coroner said Koon was alone in the Nissan Frontier pickup truck that was headed north on Green River Road about 6:30 p.m.

Mr. Koon's wife, Mable Smith Koon, 74, died at their home on Friday. Elbert Koon had just finalized arrangements for his wife's Tuesday funeral before he crashed.

"Mr. Koon lost control of his vehicle and ran off the left side of the roadway first striking a mail box. He overcorrected, ran off the right side of the roadway crossed a creek with the truck coming to rest against an embankment," the coroner said.

Koon was trapped in the wreckage until being freed by fire and EMS personnel. He was airlifted by helicopter to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center where he died at 8:14 p.m.

Koon was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision and died from blunt force body trauma. He has ruled the death an accident.

The funeral for the couple will be Tuesday afternoon at the Blakely Funeral Home in Gaffney.