Myrtle Beach man charged with reckless homicide in November high-speed crash
A Myrtle Beach man is facing a charge of reckless homicide in connection with a woman being killed in a crash, in which police said he was going 91 mph on Robert Grissom Parkway in the city, authorities said.
Raymond Gray Stallings, 32, of Myrtle Beach surrendered to police Tuesday morning and was booked into the Myrtle Beach Jail on the reckless homicide charge, according to jail records.
Stallings was held Tuesday on a $7,500 cash or surety bail, according to Myrtle Beach police Lt. Joey Crosby.
A records search showed that Stallings faced a drug charge and two speeding tickets last year.
Kate Eason, 32, died Nov. 1 while being treated at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center following the crash that happened about 6:45 a.m. that morning on Robert Grissom Parkway at 38th Avenue North, officials said.
Witnesses reported “debris flying everywhere” as they arrived at the scene soon after the crash.
An investigation by Myrtle Beach police and S.C. Highway Patrol’s Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team determined that Stallings was traveling northbound on Robert Grissom Parkway when he approached the intersection of 38th Avenue North, a police report showed.
Officials determined that Stalling’s Ford F-150 was traveling at 91 mph in the area, where the speed limit is 45 mph, according to an affidavit. The investigation also showed that Eason, who was traveling west on 38th Avenue North in a Jeep Liberty, failed to yield right-of-way because she failed to stop at the red light.
Witnesses reported the light for those traveling on Grissom Parkway was green, according to the crash report. But because of Stallings’ excessive speed, troopers determined he was contributing to the crash.
Witnesses tried to assist Eason and Stallings following the crash, which included Eason’s Jeep catching on fire after it came to rest on its roof at the corner of the intersection, according to the police report.
Eason, Stallings and someone who was riding with him were taken to the hospital for treatment, police said.
A records check with the State Law Enforcement Division showed that Stallings was charged in February by Myrtle Beach police with possession of less than a gram of cocaine or meth.
Horry County’s Public Index showed that Stallings pleaded guilty July 22 and was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Steven H. John to serve 30 days in jail or pay $100 fine plus court costs.
The Public Index also showed that in 2014 Stallings was charged with speeding on July 20 and paid an $81 fine; and on Oct. 4 Stallings was charged with speeding and paid $133 fine.
This story was originally published January 20, 2015 at 10:56 AM with the headline "Myrtle Beach man charged with reckless homicide in November high-speed crash."