Late-night beachgoers sent scrambling when woman drives car onto sand in Myrtle Beach, police report says

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — A 34-year-old woman was arrested early Wednesday morning after authorities said beachgoers ran in fear when she drove her car about 75 yards onto the beach during low tide.

Lauren Markee Hodge was arrested at about 2 a.m. in the 200 block of 11th Avenue S. and charged with reckless driving, driving illegally on a public beach and driving without a license, according to online records for the Myrtle Beach city jail. She posted a $1,325 bond and was released. All of the charges are misdemeanors.

“The offender drove her vehicle onto the beach at such a high speed that she went about 75 yards onto the sand almost to the water line at low tide,” a police report said. “Beach goers that were on the beach ran, fearing they would be hit.”

Officers were alerted to the incident at about 1:55 a.m. when a caller told dispatchers that a woman had taken his Ford Fusion and was “very intoxicated.” according to police records. The caller said she was in front of a hotel and was “kicking and screaming” and trying to break the car’s windows.

Another caller told dispatchers that the woman was intoxicated and had slashed the vehicle’s tires. Hodge was arrested a short time later.

According to the police report, Hodge was driving with a license that had been suspended in Virginia.

* * *

Dennis Bright is a Digital Producer at News13 . He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on, Facebook , X, formerly Twitter , and read more of his work here .

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.