In a seemingly ordinary traffic stop in South Carolina, the quick-witted instincts of a police officer played a pivotal role in saving a female driver and apprehending a passenger connected to a shooting incident. What began as a routine encounter transformed into a remarkable rescue mission.
Officer Kayla Wallace of the North Myrtle Beach Police Department was commended in a recent “Way-to-Go Wednesday” Facebook post for her swift response.
On the morning of May 28, Wallace pulled over a white Jeep that had run a red light on US Highway 17, as reported by the North Myrtle Beach Police Department.
As the officer approached the vehicle, a sense of alertness tingled in the air. With every glance, the astute officer noticed subtle signs of distress from the female driver. Sensing something amiss, the officer engaged in conversation, carefully probing for any hints of danger or coercion.
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Within moments, it became evident that she was being held against her will by her passenger, who was involved in a recent shooting incident, according to authorities.
The officer’s intuition had brought a dire situation to the forefront, and swift action was imperative.
“Despite the male passenger not looking at the driver, the woman silently mouthed ‘help me’ repeatedly to Wallace,” said Pat Wilkinson, spokesperson for the North Myrtle Beach Police.
Detecting the driver’s subtle plea for assistance, Wallace promptly removed the passenger from the Jeep and placed him in the back seat of her patrol car.
Returning to the driver, Wallace was met with frantic exclamations that the man now seated in her vehicle had just committed a shooting.
Shortly after, a radio alert was issued to other officers, urging them to be on the lookout for the vehicle involved in a recent shooting in Horry County.
The arrested passenger was identified as Collins Bates, who stands accused of shooting an individual outside a Myrtle Beach sports bar on May 28, according to local station WMBF.
It remains unclear whether Bates has legal representation at this time.
Following the shooting, Bates allegedly compelled a woman to drive him away from the scene, as reported by WMBF.
“Thanks to Officer Wallace’s proactive patrol in North Myrtle Beach, even in the final moments of her shift, a shooting suspect was apprehended, and an unlawfully carried pistol was recovered from beneath the suspect’s seat,” the police department’s Facebook post stated.
The department expressed its admiration for Officer Wallace, who joined the force in 2021, commending her for a job well done.
“We consider ourselves fortunate to have Officer Wallace serving in our department and community,” the post read.
Horry County booking records indicate that Bates is currently held without bond on charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
