MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Myrtle Beach police and K9 units are currently searching a neighborhood in the north end of the city for a driver who crashed a car then ran away from officers.
Cpl. Thomas Vest with the Myrtle Beach Police Department confirms an officer attempted to make a traffic stop on the driver at 5:09 a.m. Wednesday morning. The driver tried to get away from officers and crashed the vehicle on Malaga Circle, then ran from the crash on foot. Malaga Circle is in a neighborhood between Carolina Bays Parkway and the Intracoastal Waterway near 76th Avenue North.
A press release from the department says officers were called to a residence on Venezia Circle around 2:36 a.m. on Wednesday for a report of a burglary in progress. When officers arrived on the scene, they were told the suspect fled on foot and officers began a search of the area. Officers were able to locate a person matching the suspect description driving away from the scene.
Officers conducted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop, the release says. After a brief chase, the person crashed the vehicle and fled on foot. Additional officers responded to help with the search for the person. The Myrtle Beach Police K9 Unit and the Horry County Police Bloodhound Team tried to search for the person in a wooded area. Investigating officers later learned the vehicle was stolen from another residence in the neighborhood.
Myrtle Beach officers are working with residents to gather additional information, according to the release.
“We continue to remind all residents and visitors that safety is a shared responsibility, and everyone is asked to remain vigilant and to contact the Myrtle Beach Police Department if anyone has any information, or observes anything suspicious,” the release also states. “We are committed to the safety and security of every resident and visitor of our city, and we will continue to have proactive patrols, utilizing all available resources until this matter has concluded.”
An investigation is ongoing and the MBPD says residents can expect an increased police presence in the area. Anyone with information is asked to contact the MBPD at 843-918-1382.
WBTW will update this article as more information is received from police.
