A 66-year-old woman, Sandra “Sandy” Schultz-Peters, was fatally hit by a police vehicle on June 13, 2024 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The undisclosed officer involved in this incident has been placed on administrative leave, as confirmed by the Horry County Police Department, pending further investigation.
The tragic event occurred near the Nash Street beach access around 1 p.m., where Schultz-Peters was reading in a chair. Witnesses, including Denis Miller, recounted the horrifying scene as a 2020 Ford Ranger Pickup truck, driven by the officer, hit Schultz-Peters from the north while she faced east. “Someone shouted that a person had been run over. We rushed over and saw a woman on the ground with a truck on top of her,” Miller recalled.
Another witness, Amanda Bilodeau, shared her account of the incident. She said, “It was the most intense scream I’ve ever heard, unlike anything from movies or elsewhere.” She, along with other beachgoers, tried to help Schultz-Peters but to no avail.
Several beachgoers, including former Marine Brian Stanford, managed to partially lift the truck off Schultz-Peters to pull her out. Two paramedics and Stanford’s wife, Cindy, a nurse, endeavored to stabilize her. Schultz-Peters was conscious and responsive enough to provide her phone’s unlock code. She was taken to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
Schultz-Peters, a widow, and a nurse practitioner, was a cherished figure in the Myrtle Beach community, known for her caring nature and active participation in local activities. Her brother, Tony, expressed his sorrow and also shared concern for the officer’s family and friends.
The Horry County Police Department issued a statement acknowledging the heartbreaking incident and the ongoing investigation. “What happened on the beach yesterday was heartbreaking, and we recognize the pain our community is feeling,” the statement read. “Our condolences go out to all affected by this loss. We understand the community has questions, and so do we.”
Described by friends as a “whirling dervish,” Schultz-Peters was a petite woman with a large personality. She was committed to her patients, coordinated a book club, and frequently walked her 10-year-old labradoodle, Sophie. Denise Lindgren, a fellow book club member, stated, “She was beloved.” Schultz-Peters had recently lost her Great Dane, Luther, and was fondly remembered for driving with the sunroof open and Luther’s head sticking out.
This unfortunate event is not the first of its kind. In 2020, another individual was hit by a Horry County police patrol car on a nearby beach but survived the incident. Other similar situations have been reported in places like Daytona Beach, Florida, where a police sergeant struck two sunbathers in May 2024.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is overseeing the investigation, while the Horry County Police Department conducts an internal review. The authorities are striving to understand the factors that caused this accident and to prevent such incidents from reoccurring in the future.
In light of this incident, state representatives, including Rep. William Bailey and Rep. Tim McGinnis, have called for legislation that would control the usage of full-sized vehicles on the beach during peak hours, expressing concerns about the safety risks posed by their limited visibility and maneuverability.
