Horry County teacher arrested for deadly DUI has history of drunk driving
A teacher with Horry County Schools who was arrested after an alleged drunk driving crash that left a woman dead has three previous drunk driving arrests.
Records from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division show it’s his fourth arrest for DUI.
South Carolina Highway Patrol Troopers said Michael Oerther, 52, is charged with felony driving under the influence resulting in death. The crash happened Monday night.
Horry County Schools spokesperson Lisa Bourcier confirmed Oerther is a math teacher at Ocean Bay Middle School. He was placed on paid administrative leave on Tuesday.
According to South Carolina Highway Patrol, Oerther was driving a Jeep Wrangler when he crashed into the back of a Honda Civic that was stopped at Carolina Forest Boulevard and Stafford Drive Monday night.
There were three people in the Honda Civic. Troopers said the driver and front passenger were taken to the hospital, while the back seat passenger was killed in the accident.
Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard later identified the victim as Leza Watts, 27, of Carolina Forest.
In March 2005, he was arrested by troopers for driving under the influence and was found guilty in traffic court. He was arrested on the same charge in April 2009, and pleaded guilty in traffic court, according to records in the Horry County Court system.
In May 2011, Oerther was arrested by the Myrtle Beach Police Department for driving under the influence. Court records say he was not indicted and the charge was dismissed.
Online records show Oerther was released Wednesday from the J. Reuben Long Detention Center to home detention under a $40,000 bond.
This story was originally published October 28, 2021 at 7:54 AM with the headline "Horry County teacher arrested for deadly DUI has history of drunk driving."
