Myrtle Beach police officer driving 30 mph on beach when he crashed into pier, damaging it
A Myrtle Beach Police officer who crashed into a pier in December was traveling at least 30 mph on the beach when he struck one of the pier’s pillars, according to a South Carolina Department of Public Safety report.
The crash caused major damage to Pier 14 at 1306 N. Ocean Boulevard, forcing the pier to close for repairs. The Pier 14 Restaurant and Lounge on the fishing pier was closed for the season when the accident occurred.
Officer Justin Falco was operating a beach patrol vehicle at about 11:40 p.m. on Dec. 16 when the accident occurred.
Police refused to release the name of the officer. The Sun News acquired the officer’s name through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Falco was driving too fast for conditions when he crashed into the pier, according to the police report.
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. It was estimated that the 2018 truck received about $10,000 in damage, the police report said.
It cost $59,602 to repair the damage to Pier 14, according to city spokesman Mark Kruea.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is called in to investigate crashes that involve Myrtle Beach Police officers, according to police spokesman Cpl. Chris Starling. Starling said by email that Falco was the contributing factor in the crash.
When asked whether Falco received any disciplinary action for the crash, Starling replied, “It is our practice that we typically do not discuss disciplinary actions.
“We have a team of officers committed to the safety of everyone in our community and when we make mistakes, we take them seriously. We are thankful that no one was hurt and the damage to the pier was able to be repaired.”
Falco currently has no disciplinary documents on file with the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy.
This story was originally published February 9, 2024 at 9:07 AM.
