Woman shot after dragging officer, led police on chase through Myrtle Beach

A Sumter woman who was reportedly shoplifting at a Surfside Beach Wal-Mart was shot in the arm by police after dragging an Horry County police officer who was holding onto her car as she tried to flee the scene, police said.

The suspect then led police on a chase from Wal-Mart on S.C. 544 through Myrtle Beach to 38th Avenue North and U.S. 17 Business. Myrtle Beach police closed U.S. 17 Business between 36th and 38th avenues North for part of the early afternoon after the chase ended in front of St. Andrew Catholic Church.

The woman, whose name has not been released, was reportedly shot in the arm by a second Horry County officer who feared for the safety of the trapped policeman, said Lt. Raul Denis, spokesman for Horry County police.

Horry County police responded about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday to the shoplifting complaint at Wal-Mart on Beaver Run Boulevard in the Surfside Beach area. When police tried to question the suspect, she attempted to flee the scene, and an Horry County police officer was trapped in the apex of the moving vehicle, authorities said.

The suspect ignored all pleas to stop her vehicle and fearing for the safety of the trapped officer, another officer shot at the driver in an attempt to make her stop.

The suspect was not armed, Denis said.

The suspect didn’t stop, but her vehicle temporarily slowed enough for the officer to free himself from it, and he received only minor injuries.

Witnesses reported one of the tires on the car the woman was driving was flattened by a police spike strip, and the suspect continued to try to flee from police after getting a flat tire during the roughly 10-mile chase, authorities said.

The suspect failed to stop while being pursued by officers, and collided with several vehicles before the chase ended on Kings Highway and 38th Avenue North in Myrtle Beach where she was taken into custody, Denis said.

Two injured officers were treated and released at a local hospital. The suspect is in stable condition and is being kept overnight at a local hospital for observation. She is in police custody and will be guarded until she is released and formal charges will then be filed, Denis said.

It’s unknown what the suspect was allegedly shoplifting. A second suspect was identified and detained at the Wal-Mart for being an accomplice in the original shoplifting, and their identity will be revealed once charges are filed, police said.

Chief Saundra Rhodes with Horry County police requested the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigate the officer-involved shooting, and SLED agents responded immediately and are now in charge of the investigation.

The officer, an 8-year-veteran of the Horry County Police Department whose identity has not been released, has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the results of SLED’s investigation as per protocol, Denis said.

Vacationers Dennis and Paulette Hall said they were behind the suspect’s car around Third Avenue South as the police chase continued in that area. Dennis Hall -- who works as a patrolman with the Westfield, Mass., police department -- said the suspect’s tire was flat and he estimated she was going about 35 or 40 mph.

“I’ve been involved in many of these myself,” he said as he gestured to the scene. “From what I can see it [police chase] was handled very well. There was nobody at risk. They did a nice job handling it, and it went very well.”

Vacationers Debbie and Carl Boren from Massachusetts said they were on the way to do a boat ride when they saw police pursuing the suspect’s car near 21st Avenue South and started following them out of curiosity. Debbie Boren said the suspect was driving on the rim of one of her tires.

“It’s crazy. I’m hoping nobody was hurt,” Debbie said as she surveyed the scene.

This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 12:08 PM with the headline "Woman shot after dragging officer, led police on chase through Myrtle Beach."