Update: Myrtle Beach pier damaged after police vehicle crashes into it. Video shows crash
Crews were working Tuesday to repair a Myrtle Beach pier after a police officer crashed a police vehicle into it Dec. 16.
City spokesperson Mark Kruea confirmed that the pier was damaged but didn’t have a cost estimate of the damages.
The officer was operating a beach patrol vehicle when it crashed into a pylon on Pier 14 at 1306 N. Ocean Boulevard, according to Cpl. Christopher Starling. The incident happened about 11:40 p.m.
It appears that the officer was uninjured in the accident, according to a police report. The name of the officer operating the vehicle has not been released.
The Pier 14 Restaurant and Lounge, located on the pier, is closed for the season. Access to the pier from the beach is blocked off.
The workers planned to shore up the pier Tuesday so it wouldn’t collapse. Additional work to fix the pier, including replacing the pylon, will happen in the next few days, according to a worker on the scene.
It is unclear what occurred when the collision happened. When asked, Starling said by text Dec. 19 that the provided information “is all we are releasing at this time.”
Video and photos from a viewer submitted to WBTW TV shows the vehicle crash into the pier.
It appears the vehicle received severe damage from the crash. It is unclear how much the cost is of the city-owned vehicle, which is paid for by taxpayers.
The report noted that a wrecker was called and the vehicle was towed to the city garage.
This story was originally published December 19, 2023 at 9:26 AM.
