MB restaurant owner's felony DUI case moves forward, charge added

In September, the Horry County grand jury indicted 56-year-old Michael A. Hilton, a Myrtle Beach restaurant owner, on one count of felony driving under the influence involving death, one count of felony DUI with great bodily injury, and reckless homicide, according to the South Carolina Attorney General’s office.

The AG’s office added the reckless homicide charge to Hilton’s felony DUI charges.

The 15th Circuit Solicitor handed the case over to the state’s AG for prosecution because Hilton’s attorney in a 1999 accident where a man died after Hilton hit him on Highway 17, is now a circuit court judge in Horry County.

The September indictments were withdrawn after it was learned that several members of the grand jury heard about the Hilton case from media reports, which means the charges and evidence will go back before the grand jury on Oct. 20, according to the AG’s office.

On May 11, Myrtle Beach police responded to an accident involving a motorcycle and a pickup truck at the intersection of Kings Highway and Wild Wood Dunes Trail.

When emergency crews arrived on the scene, they found a bike and two victims on the ground.

In the crash, 44-year-old Angelo Gonzalez of Boardman, Ohio died and medics took his girlfriend, Suzie Reader to a local hospital with serious injuries.

Officers said 56-year-old Michael Hilton tried to make a left turn onto Wild Wood Dunes Trail and turned in front of Gonzalez’s bike.

Gonzalez’s bike slammed into the side of Hilton’s 2008 Ford truck, but Hilton left the scene and headed home, according to police.

Hilton walked back to the scene and never told investigators he was involved in the accident until a witness pointed him out, according to the incident report.

Hilton told officers he left a party and admitted to having only “2 to 3 drinks,” according to the report.

According to the police report, officers read Hilton his rights and had him perform several field sobriety tests, which he failed before officers performed a DataMaster examination on him.

The report states Hilton’s blood alcohol level registered 0.15, nearly two times the legal limit.

Amanda Gonzalez said her dad’s passion was his family, and riding his bike, “He was a very caring and loving man. He was a good guy and I can’t even describe to you the best grandfather any kid could have,” Gonzalez told News13.

In April 1991, Hilton hit a University of Georgia senior, Keith Linden, Jr on Highway 17 near restaurant row.

Authorities never charged Hilton in the 1991 accident.

Linden and another man tried to walk across Highway 17 when Linden stepped out in front of Hilton’s SUV, killing the 21 year old student.

Linden had a blood alcohol content of 0.19, according to Nancy Linden, Keith’s mother.

Authorities ruled the incident accidental and closed the case, despite that fact that the Lindens suspected Hilton was drinking at the time of the crash.

The Highway Patrol never investigated Hilton, nor charged him with any crime in connection to the 1999 incident.

Hilton wrote the Linden’s a letter following the accident, apologizing for the accident.

Hilton wrote, “If I could have done anything to prevent it would have. This is truly the worst thing that has ever happened. Please know and accept our sympathies and constant prayers. If there is anything I can do, please let me know.”

Nancy Linden sued the Hiltons and won a $25,000 lawsuit in 1994.

Michael Hilton remains free on bond.

The AG’s office said it plans to bring Hilton to trial on the charges by May 2009.

You can count on News13 to continue to follow this story as details come available.