|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The family of Sandra “Sandy” Schultz-Peters has filed a lawsuit against the Horry County Police Department (HCPD) – claiming its beach safety director was distracted prior to running over Schultz-Peters with his full-size pick-up truck last month near the Springmaid Pier in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Schultz-Peters, 66, of Myrtle Beach, succumbed to injuries sustained during the June 13, 2024 incident – which took place shortly after 1:00 p.m. EDT when a 2020 Ford Ranger driven by lance corporal Julian “Duke” Brown struck her as she was sunbathing.
According to the lawsuit (.pdf), “weather conditions were clear,” and Brown was “not responding to an emergency.” Also, “Brown’s vision was not obstructed.”
The truck pinned Schultz-Peters to the sand as horrified onlookers rushed to try and lift the vehicle off of her.
According to the lawsuit – filed by attorney W. Coleman Lawrimore of the Derrick Law Firm – there were several other instances prior to the death of Schultz-Peters in which HCPD officers “seriously injured beachgoers by running over them with full-sized motor vehicles.”
***
The lawsuit also alleged that prior to Schultz-Peters’ death, “Brown had previously run over beachgoer’s personal items, including beach chairs, with a full-sized motor vehicle while in the course and scope of his duties as the beach safety director.”
The complaint argued HCPD should have been aware of these incidents.
“Brown put his vehicle in gear, released the brake, depressed the accelerator, and manipulated the steering wheel to drive in a northbound direction on the beach,” the lawsuit stated. “As he did so, Officer Brown was distracted and chose to drive his full-sized motor vehicle on a public beach without first ensuring that the path of travel he chose to drive his full-sized motor vehicle was clear of objects and beachgoers.”
The filing included a haunting image of Schultz-Peters sunbathing in a beach chair as officer Brown’s truck approached her.
As the patrol vehicle ran over her, the lawsuit claimed several eyewitnesses reported Schultz-Peters as letting out “what has been described as ‘the most powerful scream.’”
***
***
Schultz-Peters remained trapped beneath the vehicle until concerned bystanders were able to lift it off of her, at which point she was able to assist them in unlocking her phone in order to make a call. Despite efforts to save her, Schultz-Peters passed away from her injuries at 3:09 p.m. EDT – two hours after she was struck by the truck.
News of the lawsuit was first reported by Dylan Leatherwood of WMBF TV 32 (NBC – Myrtle Beach, S.C.).
The S.C. Highway Patrol (SCHP) – a division of the S.C. Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) – is leading the inquiry into the incident.
In the aftermath of Schultz-Peters’ death, HCPD was criticized for its failure to respond to media inquiries – or to address the incident with a statement. On June 14, 2024 the agency finally commented on the tragedy.
“Our hearts are with all those impacted by this loss,” the statement noted. “We also know our community has questions. We do too.”
In addition to the SCHP inquiry, HCPD is conducting an internal investigation into the incident.
“We have a responsibility to ensure the investigations — both external and internal — occur without delay or interference,” the statement continued. “Horry County Police Department is providing any access and information that South Carolina Highway Patrol may require to complete their investigation.”
Count on our media outlet to keep our audience updated on the latest related to both the investigation and the civil suit.
***
THE LAWSUIT…
(S.C. Fifteenth Judicial Circuit)
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Jenn Wood is FITSNews’ incomparable research director. She’s also the producer of the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts and leading expert on all things Murdaugh/ South Carolina justice. A former private investigator with a criminal justice degree, evildoers beware, Jenn Wood is far from your average journalist! A deep dive researcher with a passion for truth and a heart for victims, this mom of two is pretty much a superhero in FITSNews country. Did we mention she’s married to a rocket scientist? (Lucky guy!) Got a story idea or a tip for Jenn? Email her at jenn@fitsnews.com.
***
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
3 comments
Hopefully this will force HCPD to get their head out and use appropriate vehicles on the beach.
I hope so, too.
HCPD might as well get out the checkbook. The settlement or judgment on a case that shocks the human conscience as much as this incident does should be enormous. Sadly, no amount of money can compensate this lady’s family and friends for her loss, or her for the pain, suffering, and terror, she suffered in her last moments on this side; due to abject negligence by HCPD in allowing a vehicle of this size and type to be utilized for routine beach patrol, and by the driver, in not exercising due care and caution in such an environment.
It is both disturbing and ironic, how things done by enforcement agencies “for our safety” at times come back to harm us. Things like the State Trooper, some years back, stopping a black motorist at a gas station near I-20 and Broad River Rd, to admonish and ticket him for not wearing his seat belt, but wound up shooting the motorist on that stop when the motorist reached in his vehicle for a wallet. What was the urgent mission that this large vehicle was deployed for on a beach where citizens routinely lay on the ground? Was it to admonish and ticket citizens for the heinous infraction of consuming alcohol on the beach or some similar affront to safety, truth, justice and The American Way? I bet people are chomping at the bit to visit Horry County beaches at this moment so they might experience such a level of safety.