Horry County hairstylist dies in motorcycle crash. She posted video of last ride
A motorcyclist has died – three days after a crash in Aynor.
Melissa Lubrico, 45, of Galivants Ferry, died on March 10 from traumatic injuries she received in a motorcycle crash, according to Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard by email.
The crash happened on March 7 in the area of Bud Graham Road and 7th Avenue about 9:38 p.m., according to a Facebook post by Horry County Fire Rescue.
Lubrico was a passenger on a 2023 Harley-Davidson motorcycle when the crash occurred, according to an email from Master Joseph Trooper Joseph Rowell with the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The driver of the motorcycle was traveling along 7th Avenue when the vehicle crossed left of center and ran off the road, Rowell said. Lubrico was transported to the hospital where she later died.
Ryan Carl Peavy, 44, was arrested and charged March 8 with felony driving under the influence with death and hit and run duties of a driver involved in an accident with death. He was booked into J. Reuben Long Detention Center and released on home detention.
She was a ‘firecracker’
According to social media posts, Lubrico was a hair stylist and mother. Friends described her as kind and a ball of energy.
She posted on her Facebook page a video of herself riding her motorcycle on the day of the crash, tagging the post “My happy place!”
The salon Kolor Me Klassy in Aynor, where Lubrico worked, posted on its Facebook that the salon will be closed Wednesday.
“Melissa truly loved each and every one of her clients and the community she served,” the post said. “She was tragically taken from us and will be deeply missed by so many. She left a lasting impact on this little golden town and in the hearts of everyone who knew her. ... No one will ever replace her and her presence will forever be in this shop!! She wasn’t just a coworker, she was a friend, a mom, a sister, a second mother and an absolute best friend. Our hearts are shattered.”
Joy Harris, owner of the salon, said Lubrico had worked at the business for nine years. Lubrico, who was a master barber, mainly cut men’s hair and always had a line waiting for her, Harris said.
Harris and Lubrico have been close “since the day we met.” “We raised our kids together, we went through life tragedies together,” she said.
Riding motorcycles was Lubrico’s favorite thing to do, Harris said.
“She had a smile that lit up the room,” Harris said. “She was quirky, and funny, and as bold and honest of a human being you’d ever meet.”
The mother of two was only 4 feet, 10 inches, and she was a “firecracker,” Harris said.
Lubrico died on March 9 at the hospital, Harris said, just after family and friends conducted an honor walk for the donation of her organs.
Harris and others are working to set up a memorial service for Lubrico, who is from New York and is where her family still lives.
This story was originally published March 11, 2026 at 10:11 AM.
