Longs police pursuit ends in death of Loris motorcyclist

By Ruben Lowman

A high-speed police pursuit through the rural stretches of Horry County ended in tragedy recently when a motorcyclist crashed while attempting to elude law enforcement.

The incident began on Highway 22 when officers with the Horry County Police Department attempted to conduct a routine traffic stop on a motorcycle.

According to department spokesperson Thomas Bell, the motorcyclist failed to stop for blue lights and instead accelerated to a high rate of speed, leading officers on a chase that moved through the Longs area.

The pursuit reached a violent conclusion just before 2 p.m. in the vicinity of Old Highway 31 and Hidden River Road, where the motorcycle veered off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree.

Horry County Fire Rescue teams were dispatched to the crash site at 1:54 p.m. to provide emergency medical treatment to the driver, who was then transported to a local hospital. Despite the efforts of medical first responders, the driver ultimately succumbed to the injuries sustained in the collision.

Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard later identified the deceased as 27-year-old Walfre Roblero Prince, a resident of Loris. The impact of the crash was centered in a wooded area near the intersection, leaving the motorcycle heavily damaged after the pursuit and accident.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol has taken the lead on the investigation into the fatal accident, as is standard procedure for collisions involving law enforcement pursuits.

HCPD is providing assistance as investigators work to reconstruct the timeline of the chase and determine the exact speeds and factors that led to the loss of control.