Man faces felony DUI charge after injuring 1 in Hilton Head crash, officials say
A Hilton Head man faces one felony charge of driving under the influence after a highway collision last weekend that injured one person, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
Ricardo Rios-Zamarron, 46, was charged early Monday morning with a felony DUI and driving without a license, jail records show.
The accident occurred around 7:30 p.m. Sunday as Rios-Zamarron and another driver were traveling in opposite directions on U.S. 278 near the entrance of Hilton Head, according to Trooper Nick Pye, a spokesperson for Troop 6 of the SC Highway Patrol.
Driving eastbound on the highway in a 2015 Toyota pickup, Rios-Zamarron attempted to turn left onto Squire Pope Road, according to Pye. The two cars collided in the highway’s intersection.
The other driver, who drove a 2000 four-door Mercedes, received non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the accident, Pye said.
In South Carolina, driving under the influence is considered a felony if an impaired driver causes “great bodily injury or death.” When great bodily injury occurs, drivers are subject to a mandatory fine of $5,100 to $10,100 and imprisonment from 30 days to 15 years.
As of Tuesday morning, Rios-Zamarron was in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center on a $150,000 surety bond.
This story was originally published December 20, 2022 at 10:28 AM.
