After fatal accident, horrified police remove truck from beach | News from Myrtle Beach

Brown, who has worked for the county since becoming its first beach safety officer in 1988, has not been charged with any crime. The case remains under investigation.

In its June 20 press release, the police department said the Highway Patrol’s assistance was requested because county authorities wanted an independent investigation by an outside agency.

However, after the accident, the HCPD began reviewing its policies and procedures.

In addition to trucks, the agency’s beach patrol uses a variety of vehicles and watercraft, including ATVs, jet skis and boats, to monitor 14 miles of coastline. The district’s jurisdiction extends from Little River to Murrells Inlet and includes the unincorporated areas outside of coastal cities and towns.

“The type of vehicle used will depend on the date/time, service needs and the number of beach visitors at that time,” the county statement said.

Beach patrol employees attend annual training “which includes instruction on driving on the beach,” the county statement said.

“The Horry County Police Department recognizes the depth of loss our community is experiencing following the tragic incident involving one of our employees on the beach last week,” the police department said. “Our condolences go out to all who are grieving.”

Police have been using large vehicles on America’s beaches for about a century. Safety experts point out that while the vehicles pose obvious risks, they can be useful.

“It gives them a lot more flexibility,” said James Mulvaney, an associate professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. “If you assume that (police) jurisdiction doesn’t end at the end of the sandbar, and they’re in a regular police vehicle, they can respond to something elsewhere. Whereas if you put them in something like an all-terrain vehicle, that might not be appropriate for city streets.”

This is not the first time a Horry County officer has pulled over someone on the beach. On May 24, 2020, a county officer pulled over a 69-year-old woman who was lying on the sand in Garden City, according to a Highway Patrol report.