Police

MYRTLE BEACH

Police investigate sexual assault report

Myrtle Beach police are investigating a report that a sexual assault occurred in an area near a pond on Mr. Joe White Avenue, according to a police report.

Officers were called about 9 p.m. Wednesday about the assault that occurred about 30 minutes earlier at in the 1800 block of Mr. Joe White Avenue, police said.

No other details were in the report.

MYRTLE BEACH

Mom sentenced in baby’s death

A Myrtle Beach woman was ordered to serve six months in jail and complete drug court after she pleaded guilty to child neglect Wednesday in the 2010 death of her child, who was stillborn, according to court records.

Tickeisha Moranda Walton-Grant, 40, of Myrtle Beach pleaded guilty Wednesday to unlawful neglect of a child and Family Court Judge Thomas Russo sentenced her to 10 years in prison, but suspended that sentence upon her completion of six months in jail and drug court, according to records.

Walton-Grant was charged with homicide by child abuse and unlawful neglect of a child on March 17, 2010, three months after she gave birth to a stillborn baby, according to Horry County police. An investigation showed that there was cocaine in the mother and child’s system.

MYRTLE BEACH

Man arrested after hand gesture dispute

Myrtle Beach police charged a 39-year-old man with assault after a woman reported being shoved after she told him it was rude to put his hand in front of her face, according to a police report.

Roy Lee Colston, 39, of Myrtle Beach, was charged with third-degree assault and battery after officers were called about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday to the 100 block of Cedar Street, police said.

An officer reported he was flagged down by the victim, a 26-year-old woman, who said that Colston put his hand in front of her face and the incident escalated from there, according to a police report. The victim said she told Colston the gesture was rude and did the same thing to him, but that he shoved her to the ground with both his hands.

The victim said she told Colston she was calling police and he walked away, according to the report. Officers found Colston, who said he had argued with the victim and she put her hand in his face so he pushed her and she fell.

MYRTLE BEACH

Woman’s purse taken while she walked

A 20-year-old woman told Myrtle Beach police someone took her purse taken while she walked with two other women along Mr. Joe White Avenue, according to a police report.

The victim and the other two women told officers that about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday they were walking near Lumber Street when a man took the victim’s purse and tried to run away with it, police said.

The women screamed and hit the suspect, who started hitting them, according to the report. The suspect was able to overpower the victims and take the purse.

CONWAY

One arrested, one wanted in sex assault

Police are looking for one of two suspects in a sexual assault reported Tuesday.

Conway police were called to the emergency room at Conway Hospital to investigate a possible criminal sexual conduct case, authorities said.

A 32-year-old woman said she had been sexually assaulted by two men she knew, police said.

Billy Gerald Smith, 58, of Conway is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping. He remains jailed at J. Reuben Long Detention Center on $30,000 bail.

A second man was identified as a suspect, but has not yet been arrested. The Sun News does not identify suspects until formal charges have been filed.

HORRY COUNTY

Little River woman dies in vehicle wreck

The S.C. Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash wreck on S.C. 9 in the Longs area, authorities said.

The crash occurred just after 5 p.m. Thursday on S.C. 9 in front of the Aberdeen Country Club -- blocking traffic and closing at least one lane.

Nicole Rebecca McMurray, 25, of Little River died from injuries sustained in the crash, said Robert Edge, Horry County Coroner. McMurray was transported to Grand Strand Regional Medial Center following the wreck and died just before 6 p.m., Edge said.

An adult male passenger and two children were also in the vehicle, Edge said. The man and one child were taken to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center and one toddler was flown to a Charleston area hospital. Edge said their injuries were not life-threatening.

Local

MYRTLE BEACH

Four advance in ``America’s Got Talent’’

The hip-hp clogging dancing ensemble All That from the “The Carolina Opry” and “Good Vibrations” shows at the Calvin Gilmore Theatre in Myrtle Beach has advanced to the live, New York round of the “America’s Got Talent” TV series.

The four men also reached the finals on the inaugural season of the summer series, in 2006. They have performed at the Gilmore theater for more than seven years.

The next episode of “America’s Got Talent” airs at 8:30 p.m. Monday on NBC (WMBF-TV 10/32, and WCBC-TV 2 and WECT-TV 6).

More details at www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent/.

From staff reports