Horry County Police said in a statement released Friday that they, along with the community, have questions about how a beachgoer was struck by a beach patrol truck.
One question is whether the swimmer was located in an area designated for beach patrol vehicles only.
Sandra “Sandy” Schultz-Peters, 66, of Myrtle Beach, died from injuries suffered when she was struck by a vehicle while on the beach, according to the Horry County Coroner’s Office.
Schultz-Peters died after she was run over by an Horry County Beach Patrol officer on Thursday near the Nash Street Beach access outside of Myrtle Beach. She was sitting on the beach reading before she was hit, according to witnesses.
The woman was sitting some distance from the orange cones that mark the designated lane for beach patrol vehicles, according to Ruddy Bumgardner, one of the people who helped pull the truck off the woman after she was hit.
Horry County spokeswoman Mikayla Moskov did not respond to questions about the crash other than to say in an email that the police statement was all that would be released at the time. The name of the officer involved was also not released.
According to an Horry County Ordinance In relation to beaches, public safety authorities can create zones that restrict seaside activities in areas that could pose a danger to the “health, life or safety of any person”.
The ordinance says that the areas must be marked with flags, buoys or signs. Beach patrol vehicle lanes at the Nash Street beach access outside of Myrtle Beach and near Springmaid Pier are marked with orange cones.
The Horry County Sheriff’s Office statement said the South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Bumgardner and his wife own a condo near the Nash Street access. They said the victim often went to the beach.
A photo believed to show the woman sitting on the beach and the Horry County police truck nearby was captured just seconds or minutes before the crash. The photo was taken at 1 pm on Thursday.
Bumgardner heard a loud scream and saw people running toward the truck. He said the tire on the passenger side of the truck was on top of the woman. His beach chair was crushed.
The officer in the truck also assisted and rendered aid to the woman, Bumgardner said.
“It’s unfortunate,” Bumgardner said. “I still don’t understand how he could be distracted. …It’s a tragic situation.”
Lance Cpl. Lena Butler with SCHP said in a statement that the crash happened around 1:07 p.m. on the beach near Nash Street. The victim was taken to Grand Strand Medical Center, where he died, Butler said in the release. The officer was traveling northbound on Nash Street to the beach when the beachgoer was struck.
SCHP officers were on scene Friday conducting an investigation. Police officers were flying a drone to take photos of the beach.
Horry County Police will conduct an internal investigation, the release said. “What happened yesterday at the beach was a tragedy and we know that our community is suffering. Our hearts go out to all those affected by this loss,” the statement said. “We also know that our community has questions. So do we.”
