Young North Myrtle Beach woman pulled over at gunpoint alleges she was wrongfully detained by police
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — An 18-year-old North Myrtle Beach woman has filed a lawsuit against the city, its police chief and two officers claiming that she was wrongfully handcuffed and detained last month when authorities suspected she was driving a stolen car.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Florence by attorneys for La’Nisha Hemingway, names Police Chief Dana Crowell and officers Mike Pacileo and Kayla Wallace. It alleges negligence, negligent supervision/hiring, false imprisonment and a violation of her civil rights.
According to the lawsuit, Hemingway was pulled over and ordered out of her Dodge Charger at gunpoint on May 3 in the 4500 block of Highway 17 South while she was on her way to a high school graduation celebration with some of her friends. The suit said she was moving at an appropriate speed when police stopped her.
Pacileo and Wallace received a stolen vehicle notification from a license plate reader indicating that her car had been on Barefoot Resort Bridge Road headed toward the city, the lawsuit said. When she stopped, Pacileo then allegedly jumped out of his vehicle and pointed his gun at Hemingway.
Wallace then did the same, ordering Hemingway to drop to her knees and put her hands behind her back, according to the lawsuit. Wallace can then be heard acknowledging on body camera footage that the vehicle they pulled over is not the one they initially believed had been stolen.
“You don’t treat a young child this way,” La’Nisha’s grandmother, Janet Hemingway, said. “I mean, all you had to do was run the plate.”
The lawsuit claims Hemingway’s vehicle was also unconstitutionally searched by Pacileo without probable cause or a warrant. Wallace eventually uncuffed Hemingway after another officer said the vehicle was “not it.”
The lawsuit claims Crowell is “ultimately responsible” for Pacileo’s and Wallace’s actions. It requests an unspecified amount in damages and a jury trial.
“That’s what we’re here to get, is justice and accountability,” attorney Tyler Bailey said. “We hope the city of North Myrtle Beach will do everything possible to try to make right. So far, they have not done that at all.”
Bailey said they want to see officers receive more training, and they hope that change will be made within the department to make sure a situation like Hemingway’s doesn’t happen again.
The full body camera footage of the incident, provided by Hemingway’s attorneys, is above.
News13 has reached out to North Myrtle Beach police for a comment. It said it does not comment on cases pending litigation.
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The full 23-page lawsuit is attached below.
LaNisha-Hemmingway-Complaint-FinalDownload
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Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.
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Gracie is a multimedia journalist at News 13 and is from Cleveland, Ohio. Gracie joined the team in June 2023 after graduating from the University of Alabama in May. Follow Gracie on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, & read more of her work here.
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