Update: One-lane traffic to continue on North Myrtle Beach bridge. Woman crashed into it
A late-night crash Nov. 5 requiring repairs to a North Myrtle Beach bridge now will affect traffic through Saturday, city officials said.
The Barefoot Swing Bridge underwent emergency repairs and has had one lane of traffic open since the accident, the City of North Myrtle Beach announced in a statement Nov. 6. The bridge will continue to be one lane so that it can have its annual inspection Saturday by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
The announcement comes after a woman driving a white Mercedes-Benz crashed into a concrete bollard on the bridge Sunday night, North Myrtle Beach Police Department Officer Patrick Wilkinson said in a statement to The Sun News.
The driver, Christina Dewitt, 36, of Little River, has been charged with driving under the influence, simple possession of marijuana and possession of cocaine second offense, Wilkinson added.
Wilkinson added that officers observed an open container of alcohol in the vehicle and signs of intoxication from the driver, who was transported to a hospital for minor injuries. Police also found marijuana and cocaine in a fanny pack that the driver gave to medical personnel at the scene of the accident, who then gave to officers, Wilkinson said.
The bridge briefly closed following the accident but was in the process of being re-opened later that night, according to a Facebook post by the North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue Facebook page.
North Myrtle Beach Public Information Officer Lauren Eckersley said Monday that there is a possibility the repairs will be completed before Wednesday but could not say for certain.
Eckersley added that the concrete bollard was damaged, which is designed to help guide traffic flow and increase road safety, but no major or structural damage occurred due to the accident.
This story was originally published November 6, 2023 at 3:30 PM.
