Former Myrtle Beach councilman charged with DUI, hit-and-run

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – A former Myrtle Beach councilman found himself on the wrong side of the law after he allegedly left the scene of an accident while possibly under the influence.

William Wayne Gray served four terms on the Myrtle Beach City Council and has been involved with the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce for over 20 years.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol said Gray, 56, was arrested on Nov. 20 when he allegedly rear-ended another vehicle and drove away.

SCHP was dispatched to the Marina Inn at approximately 9:23 p.m., where Myrtle Beach police officers informed troopers that Gray had been involved in an accident elsewhere.

MBPD officers said the crash actually occurred at 38th Avenue N and Big Block Road. The victim told officers that Gray hit her and drove away, but the victim tried to follow Gray’s vehicle to get him to stop, but he refused. He finally pulled into the hotel parking lot.

The report states that troopers “immediately detected the odor of alcohol on his breath and noticed that his eyes were bloodshot and watery.”

Officers said Gray was initially unresponsive, but eventually, when asked, told officers he drank four beers between 5 and 7 p.m., and on a drunkenness scale of 1 to 10, he said he was a 2.

During this time, officers asked Gray to submit to a field sobriety test, but he refused, so officers arrested him.

He was taken to the Myrtle Beach Jail for a blood alcohol test, which he also refused.

Gray was booked into the Detention Center. J. Reuben in Długa on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and hit-and-run with a driven vehicle, and has since been released.