Are Myrtle Beach area cities ending trucks on beaches? Woman’s death spurs safety action

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It’s been nearly two months since a Myrtle Beach woman died after being run over by an Horry County beach patrol truck while sitting on the beach.

And while some changes have been made by cities and the county regarding the trucks since the deadly accident, the vehicles are still being used on the beach.

Their continued use on the beach has raised safety concerns by beachgoers.

Sandra “Sandy” M. Schultz-Peters, 66, died after she was run over June 13, 2024, by a police vehicle being driven by Julian “Duke” Brown, beach safety director for Horry County Police, near the Nash Street Beach access outside Myrtle Beach. She was sitting on the beach reading before she was hit, according to witnesses.

No charges have been filed against Brown, and he has been placed on leave pending an investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol. Brown has more than 30 years with the department.

Brown was placed on administrative leave pending the investigation, according to Horry County Police. The investigation into the accident has not been completed as of July 17, according South Carolina Department of Public Safety spokesperson Courtney S. Wiles by email. Wiles said she was unsure when the investigation would be completed.

Horry County Police announced days after the accident that it would decrease the use of its trucks on the beach and instead increase the use of foot and ATV patrols. The county said that trucks remain critical for some calls for service due to certain emergency equipment and community member transportation needs.

Lifeguard companies that provide services to Horry County and the city of Myrtle Beach have continued to use trucks but have made alterations in an effort to increase safety. In a recent Myrtle Beach Beach Advisory Committee meeting, a representative for Lack’s Beach Service said that the company had added cameras to the front of its trucks and backup “beepers” on the back.

The city of Myrtle Beach is not planning to remove its trucks from the beach at this time, according to an email from Meredith Denari, director of public information for the city. Denari said there will be additions of front and side cameras and sensors on the beach trucks after internal discussions with senior management, in partnership with police and fire departments.

The sensors and cameras have been ordered, Denari said. The trucks that are currently used came with back-up cameras and sensors, she said.

The city does not control what accessories the lifeguard services choose to use, Denari said.

In North Myrtle Beach, the city has moved to using smaller trucks with enhanced safety features, Officer Pat Wilkinson, spokesperson for North Myrtle Beach Police, said by text. Those features include up-to-date motion sensors and back-up cameras, Wilkinson said.

When are vehicles allowed on the beach?

For civilians, motorized vehicles are never permitted on the beach, according to local laws.

Horry County, Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach include exceptions for police and other government workers that may need access to the beach via truck or ATV.

Many beach towns in the area have a designated emergency vehicle lane blocked off by cones, flags or another marker. This is the space dedicated for trucks to drive.

The family of Schultz-Peters has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Horry County Police Department.

The suit claims that the safety and well-being of beachgoers should be the top priority of the Horry County Police Department. It noted that the department’s beach patrol operates full-sized motor vehicles on public beaches and the department “should know that nothing is more important than making sure the path of its full-sized motor vehicles is free from objects and beachgoers.”