Police | Horry County woman in lightning-struck building hurt

Police

LORIS

Woman in lightning-struck building hurt

A woman was injured Thursday afternoon when lightning struck a building in the Loris area, said Leslie Yancey, spokeswoman for Horry County Fire Rescue.

Yancey said the woman was in the building, but she had no other details.

She said the woman was transported to Loris Hospital. No information the woman's condition could be obtained Thursday night.

GEORGETOWN

Inquiry: Boat pulled teen under bridge

The boat pulling a Georgetown teen, who died Saturday, was going under the Dunbar Bridge on the Black River, not turning around at it, Georgetown County Coroner Kenny Johnson said in a release.

Allison Brooke Howell, 18, died from injuries she suffered when an inner tube she was riding on with a friend being pulled behind a boat struck a bridge piling, Johnson said. The other girl suffered a fractured leg and is expected to recover from her injury.

At first authorities thought the boat was turning around at the bridge, but the investigation revealed the boat was going under the bridge, Johnson said. An investigation into the incident and Howell's death continues by the state Department of Natural Resources, according to authorities.

Howell died at Georgetown Hospital late Saturday afternoon from head and body injuries, Johnson said.

GEORGETOWN

Man armed with pipe robs McDonald's

A man armed with a pipe crawled through the drive-through window of a Pawleys Island McDonald's and took cash from the business, according to a police report.

Georgetown County deputies were called at 1:10 a.m. Thursday to the McDonald's at 10425 Ocean Highway in Pawleys Island for an armed robbery, according to the report. The man, who had a rag covering the lower portion of his face, took one employee's cell phone and money from the safe before he crawled back out the window and left. No injuries were reported.

CONWAY

2 shot in parking lot of club

Two people were treated and released after being shot in the parking lot of a Conway club, according to Catina Hipp, Conway police spokeswoman.

Officers were called at 2:45 a.m. Thursday to Total Experience at 618 Church St. for gunshots fired in the area, Hipp said. When officers arrived they saw people running from the area and learned that a woman was taken by vehicle to Conway Medical Center after being shot in the leg.

Officers went to the hospital and learned the woman was walking to a vehicle in the parking lot when she heard several gunshots and felt a burning sensation in her leg, Hipp said. The woman said someone put her in a vehicle and took her to the emergency room.

While officers were interviewing the woman, a man arrived in the emergency room and said he was shot while in the parking lot, Hipp said. The man said he was in his vehicle trying to leave when he got into an argument with several people.

The man said he and another person in the car got out and were assaulted by the group, Hipp said. The man said he was pushed to the ground, kicked and punched. The man said when he was able to escape he was shot in the elbow as he ran away.

Conway police want anyone with information about the incident or the shooters to call 248-1790.

CONWAY

Former clerk surrenders in robbery

A Galivants Ferry man turned himself in to Conway police to face charges in connection with the robbery of a convenience store where he once worked, according to Catina Hipp, Conway police spokeswoman.

Gary Marrs, 43, turned himself in to police about 2 a.m. Thursday and was charged with strong-arm robbery, Hipp said. Marrs appeared before City Judge Jane Mackey on Thursday where his bail was set at $10,000.

The charge stemmed from about 9 p.m. Wednesday when police were called to Churchill BP at 2901 Church St. for a robbery, Hipp said.

BRUNSWICK COUNTY

Man charged with exposing self to girls

An N.C. man was charged with felony indecent exposure after Holden Beach police said he exposed himself to two girls in a canal, according to a police report.

Benjamin Stroup Korb, 47, was charged Tuesday with felony indecent exposure after officers were called at 4 p.m. Aug. 13 to the 100 block of Lions Paw Street in Holden Beach, N.C., police said. Two 12-year-old girls told police Korb exposed himself to them while they were swimming in a canal near their home.

Local

GRAND STRAND

Counties gain justice program grants

Horry and Georgetown counties are among 22 communities in the state to receive federal grant money through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, according to a release from Sen. Lindsey Graham's office issued Thursday.

The state will get more than $1.4 million in federal grant money through the program. Horry County is slated to receive $133,182, and Georgetown County will get $25,653.

The money can be used for programs focusing on law enforcement; prosecution and courts; prevention and education; corrections and community corrections; drug treatment; planning, evaluation and technology improvement; and crime victims and witnesses. The grants were awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice.