Woman seriously injured in King Street DUI crash; man released on bond

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A woman was seriously injured late Saturday night after she was struck by an alleged intoxicated driver near a downtown Charleston bar.

Officers with the Charleston Police Department responded to a location on King Street, near the Recovery Room, just after 11:00 p.m. for a vehicle versus pedestrian crash.

At the scene, 37-year-old Jeremy Lopez told officers he was leaving Sugey’s Bar when he saw two women running across King Street to a nearby parking lot, according to a police report obtained by News 2. The man said he was not able to stop his 2018 Toyota Tacoma before hitting one of the women.

The victim was taken to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) with serious injuries.

According to the report, Lopez initially told officers that he only had one drink at the bar a few hours before the crash, but later stated that he had other drinks at the establishment.

Lopez was arrested for DUI and taken to the Al Cannon Detention Center where he was booked early Sunday morning on a charge of felony DUI resulting in great bodily injury or death.

Charleston Police told News 2 that Lopez was driving at a high rate of speed leading up to the crash.

Jail records show Lopez was released later that day on a bond totaling just over $21,000.