Family, friends of teen victim in crash mourning her death

On Sept. 2, Misha Heiman made a post on Facebook about his emotions as he watched his 16-year-old daughter drive away alone for the first time.

“Well now if that wasn't one of the most bitter sweet emotional moments in my life, watching my baby drive off to school all by herself,” he wrote.

On Thursday, Malia Heiman died in a crash on S.C. 31 as she tried to make a U-turn from the far right lane, according to the S.C. Highway Patrol.

She was a student at North Myrtle Beach High School, but attended the Academy for Technology and Academics. Administrators at North Myrtle Beach High School posted the following along with Heiman’s photo to the school’s page on Thursday:

“Today, we lost a student in a tragic car accident. Malia Heiman was killed on her way to school this morning on highway 31. Malia was a NMBH base student that attended ATA. The staff at NMBH will be collecting money tomorrow for her family. If anyone else would like to make a contribution please feel free to stop by the school tomorrow. Please pray for Malia’s family through this difficult time.”

Malia Heiman was taken to Grand Strand Medical Center where she was pronounced dead at 8:53 a.m. Thursday, said Tamara Willard, Horry County chief deputy coroner. She died from multiple trauma she suffered in the crash, which occurred at 7:53 a.m.

The crash involved the Heiman’s 1998 Honda and a 2011 Ford pickup truck driven by a 47-year-old man from Collegeville, Pa., according to the North Myrtle Beach police report.

Heiman was driving her 1998 Honda north in the far right lane on the three-lane highway when she attempted to make a U-turn at an opening in the median, according to the report. Police said she turned into the path of a 2011 Ford pickup truck drive by a 47-year-old Collegeville, Pa., man.

The pickup truck struck Heiman’s driver door and front quarter panel, according to the report. Heiman’s vehicle also struck the median barrier near the six mile marker on S.C. 31.

A Myrtle Beach man witnessed the crash and told police what happened, according to the report.

This story was originally published September 11, 2015 at 2:40 PM with the headline "Family, friends of teen victim in crash mourning her death."