Woman Killed In Freak Accident At South Carolina Beach

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A woman was killed in a freak accident when she was impaled by an umbrella on a South Carolina beach.

According to Horry County Chief Deputy Coronor Tamara Willard, 63-year-old Tammy Perreault of Garden City was on at a local beach when a stray beach umbrella picked up by the wind struck and impaled her around 12:40 p.m. on Wednesday (August 10), per 15 News. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she died as a result of chest trauma.

Scotty's Beach Bar in Surfside Beach shared a tribute to Perreault on Thursday on its Facebook page, saying everyone should strive to be a sweet as her.

"Today with heavy hearts we mourn the loss of a dear friend and kind hearted local, Tammy Perreault. Some things we will never begin to understand but what we do know is no one has a bad thing to say about this woman. To be as sweet as her day in and day out should be a goal for all."

The post encouraged people to keep Perreault's family in their thoughts, especially her husband, Mike.

"Mike we love you and are immensely sorry for your loss," the post stated. "Everyone at Scotty's staff and Scotty's family will continue prayers."

According to a 2021 study published in the Journal of Safety Research, around 5,512 beach umbrella injuries were recorded between 2000 and 2019, with wind being the cause of 50.6% of those injuries, News 13 reports. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission advises spiking a beach umbrella pole into the sand at least 2 feet deep, packing the base with sand and anchoring it with a weight.


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