Driver pleads guilty to reckless homicide in deadly Myrtle Beach hit-and-run

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - The man charged in a deadly May 2023 hit-and-run appeared in court on Tuesday for a plea hearing.

Walter Hayes, 61, pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in the death of 30-year-old Nelson Green Jr. on May 18, 2023.

The deadly crash happened in the area of Stalvey Avenue and Jennings Street, sending Green to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• ‘I’m at my wit’s end’: Hit-and-run victim’s family frustrated with prosecutor’s handling of case
• ‘We’re being re-victimized’: Myrtle Beach family still without answers in deadly hit-and-run investigation
• Bond denied again for man accused in deadly Myrtle Beach hit-and-run

Authorities stated that Hayes returned to the scene to confirm Green was dead, but Myrtle Beach police didn’t find him until more than a month later.

During the plea hearing, Hayes’ attorney said his client is remorseful for his actions, but Green’s loved ones said they don’t believe him.

“How can we take Walter’s word of the fact that he was laying in the road, if we couldn’t even take Walter’s word to stop and call the police? How can we take his word? That to me just doesn’t seem fair,” said family friend Maria Hoyte.

WMBF News was the first to report on the deadly hit-and-run after Green’s family came to us and asked for answers in the police investigation.

A couple of weeks after our story with the family, the Myrtle Beach Police Department reached out to the community asking for information in the case.

Loved ones said they remain skeptical and disappointed by how the Myrtle Beach Police Department handled their loved one’s death.

“We met with (Chief Amy) Prock. We told them every single thing they did wrong. She was combative at first then she gave us an apology. We took it and ran with it,” Hoyte said. “We kept it and held our head up, we said, ‘OK, we’re gonna get ‘em at the sentencing. We’re going to make it right.’ They did not make it right.”

The recommended sentencing for Hayes was 10 years in prison, but the judge sentenced Hayes to seven years in prison plus time served.

Hayes has remained in custody since his June 2023 arrest, charged with hit-and-run involving death and driving without a license.

Seth Oskin, the assistant solicitor on the case, said that Hayes could be up for parole in two years.

Copyright 2024 WMBF. All rights reserved.