MB restaurant owner’s felony DUI case moves forward, charge added
MBPD
Michael Allen Hilton
Published: October 14, 2008
Updated: October 14, 2008
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The September indictments were withdrawn after it was learned that several members of the grand jury heard about the Hilton case from media reports, which means the charges and evidence will go back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.
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Reader Reactions
LIFE SENTENCE——-The risk that Hilton will commit the same offense( for a 3rd time) is to great. The imposition of a fine, penalty or order of restitution without imposing a long term of imprisonment would be perceived by Hilton that his actions are not criminal,and would not deter him from violating the law AGAIN. My heart goes out to the victims of Hiltons crimes. Billy Faccone
I am Susie’s mother. In 3 days it will have been 6 months since I recieved the call that every parent dreads getting, no matter how old their child is.Susie’s father informs me she has been in a violet accident and in danger of loosing her leg. He also tells me the ER doc has told him the driver of the motorcycle was killed. Oh my God! I screamed, how could this be? My darling, sweet Susie and the love of her life, Angelo! I scarce could take this in! I sobbed for hours, pacing, watching the clock and praying, praying and more prayers; asking my God to be with my sweet Susie, to hold her in his arms until I could get there. And poor Angelo’s family, because of circumstances, do not know his fate.
In conversations with Susie’s dad I find out our children were thrown 30 feet and the person that hit them left the scene. Someone has hit my daughter, my beautiful daughter and left her on the street like road kill!! How could anyone do this and be able to look at themselves in the mirror? I cannot get this out of my mind! You hit 2 human beings and just leave them lying on the street! i just cannot think of a word to describe a creature that could do something like this! I wonder if he doesn’t have a child of his own? What would he do if the shoe were on the other foot? There just can’t be any explaination in my mind.
Finally about 6:30 a.m. the phone rings, the wait has been agonizing. Bill tells me Susie is out of surgery, now it is wait and see. He has a flight scheduled to MB. My husband and I get ready for church. This is a Mother’s Day I’ll never forget. I later find out that today is also Angelo’s mother’s birthday. I’m so sorry for Angelo’s family. I’m so sorry for Susie and Morgan. They will be so lost in the days and months to come. I’m so thankful that we still have Susie. It scares me to think that we could very well be planning a funeral also. I praise God that Susie was spared and I couldn’t wait told hold her in my arms.
I get a late afternoon flight to MB and Bill picked me up at the airport. When I get to the hospital, it’s been 24 hours since she was struck down. She is broken in pieces like a delicate China doll. Let me tell you, you’re never prepared to see your child in so much pain. I could only tell her how sorry I was and that I wish I could take all the hurt away, that I would gladly trade places with Angelo so that she could have him back; she loved him so.
Oh the angony and pain, the screams and moaning. The pain medication doen’t come fast enough. It would be bad enough to deal with the injuries, but Susie also has to deal with loosing Angelo and separation from Morgan.
I kept a journal of sorts through most of the surgeries. I wrote an entry about Mr. Hilton; if I could look at him face to face, I’d ask him how could you be so irresponsible? to drink so much until you are so impaired, that you leave my daughter lying in the street like a piece of trash! My only daughter cries in agony, so much so, that says if it weren’t for her daughter she wishes she had died that night with Angelo. I hate you for that Mr. Hilton! I despise you! I loathe You! Can you get a grip on what you’ve done? You’ve changed her life forever and countless others. You’ve taken away her dreams and plans that will never take place because you were so STUPID to not stop at just 1-2 drinks. If some how you could even feel half of the pain I see my daughter go through daily. I’ve scraped better things off the bottom of my shoes from the barn!
I pray to God that you will never be able to go out and hurt another human being. I know my God will deal with you in the end.
As I sit here and read the reactions from the readers of this article, I ask myself, “I wonder what Mr. Hilton is doing right now. I wonder what is going through his head reading them?“ Reading how people are calling him a murderer, drunk, and a loser. I wonder what he has to say.
Well…. Let’s hear it Mr. Michael Allen Hilton, what do you have to say for yourself. I know, I know your lawyer, the BIG Tommy Britton probably doesn’t want you to but be human.
What do you have to say to Suzie Reader who had 9 surgeries just to say her leg, who can’t take her daughter to school, make her breakfast, or even take shower by herself. What would you say to her?
Or her daughter, father, and mother, step-mother, step father, and brother…. that take of her, wheel her around, take her to doctors, and wipe her tears. What would you say to them?
What do you have to say me? The only child of Angelo Gonzalez who died instantly because when he hit your truck at 50 mph and flew off his bike, he hit his head so hard that it killed him. The one who had to prepare funeral arrangements for her dad. Who had to call her grandparents and tell them that their eldest son died in an accident just after hearing the news herself? What would you say to me?
What do you have to say to my daughter and son who will never get to see their grandfather EVER again, who will never have grandparents day at school or will have him there on their birthdays or holidays, who will only know their grandfather through stories. What would you say to them?
Or my grandmother and grandfather who lost their son, their right hand man, their handy man, their funny man. What would do you say to them?
We all ready know what you had to say to Nancy Linden with your pathetic letter. But what do you have to say to her now that you did it again. Now that the accident never changed you or humbled you or that you didn’t appreciate the fact that you almost had it coming to you.
Or Keith’s father, sister, friends, and family who still mourn and grieve for him?
What do you have to say?
I’m the father of Susie Reader.I was awoke to a phone call at 11:30 on May 10 from the surgeon who saved my daughter’s leg.From that phone call on my life and the lives of both families who were either had someone killed (Angeol Gonzalez),or had someone hurt badly.Now after we had a fundraiser for my daughter for medicial and everyday bills,both my wife and I have received sneaky phone calls from Mr.Hilton’s attorney.I use the term Attorney loosly as anyone with a lick of common sence would know that they are the last persons we want or going to allow to contact our family.It’s bad enough that you are stooping so low as to defend someone who did this to my daughter.What is the matter with you have you no sense?We are still trying to deal with all of this and then out of the blue we get phone calls from your office.Stop harrassing me and my family.We do not want any of your blood money.Maybe someone should ask Mr.Britton what condition he was in at the scene of the crime that night in May.Anyone who is wearing sunglasses at 11:00 at night should have been questioned as to his condition.I always thought the people of South Carolina were friendly,helpful and caring people.If this lawfirm is a sample of them then I never want to visit there again.Mr.Britton,that phone call was heartless,do you know how much that upset my daughter.How would you like it if your daughter was hurt like mine is and have someone representing the person who did this to her, calling your family,hanging up on both of the calls after asking who to make the check out to and to what address to send it?Why did your office have to call both of us and ask the same questions,then be rude and hang up?From now on do not call or contact anyone in my family!I don’t need my family hurt again!
There are no words to explain how we all feel!! Mr. Hilton has no idea what he has done to our family. Angelo was my uncle and a good one! It has been the hardest 5 months for my cousin Amanda struggling day by day knowing she will never see her father again ,talking to her and knowing she is pain hurts me!! But i know she is a strong person and she has her family by her side. Amanda I love you and at the end MR.Hilton will get what he desevers!! Lock up this LOSER!!
Angelo Gonzalez was the best father, grandfather, and uncle anyone can have. Amanda is my cousin and hurts me everyday knowing my cousin is in so much pain. All we have are memories of my uncle. its ashame he had to go this way & i believe Michael Hilton will get what he deserves!
HOW CAN THIS HAVE HAPPENED?
How can a person (MR. HILTON) murder 2 people, get away with the first
(Keith Linden) with a slap on the wrist, and then commit another (Angelo
Gonzalez) when the Datamaster examination on him exceeded twice the legal
limit in both murders? There are many facets of crime in this world, some
kill by guns, others with explosives, and some kill by drinking beyond the
legal limit. All these individuals need be punished for their crime to the
fullest extent of the law.
How can one “GET AWAY WITH MURDER” and send an apology to the friends and
family of the victim (Keith Linden), like it was just a “WALK IN THE PARK”?
HE MURDERED 2 INDIVIDUALS,
left scars on the family, friends, children, grandchildren, and girlfriend
(Susie Reader) which will never go away.
I had met Angelo only a few times, but what a wonderful person he was. I
have known Susie Reader for many years along with her daughter Morgan. They
and Angelo’s family did not deserve this. To lose a loved one and know
that Mr. Hilton murdered 2 people should not go over well with any human
being, much less the justice system. Mr. Hilton’s wife and family should
be embarrassed for what he did. I also feel they should be saddened that
they themselves or the state of South Carolina did not seek treatment
(Alcoholics Anonymous) for Mr. Hilton once the first crime was committed.
Perhaps this second crime; the tragic death of Angelo Gonzalez could have
been avoided. I understand he (Mr. Hilton) is a prominent business man at
Barefoot Landing. I pray his “wealth” does not buy him out of a second
murder offense.
Mr. Hilton needs brought to justice once and for all, put away, and
punished for his crime.
It is a tragedy of the court system that officials from Myrtle Beach did not deal correctly with Mr Hilton after the first accident and death he caused due to his alcohol addiction. Being an emergency department nurse for over 20 years, I have seen the direct damage that alcohol addiction can cause. It is unfortunate that Mr Hilton never sought help after the senseless loss of their son by the Linden family. Now as Susie’s Aunt, I see the devastation this accident has caused the whole family. Susie’s life will never be the same. Unless you have been a victim of a crime like this you cannot realize the hardship that a case like this causes the victims. Who helps the victim while they are in the hospital, lose their job because they cannot work, are unable to care for their children or themselves? There is no financial assistnce that comes the next day! If Susie didnt have a loving family and friends to help her out financially and in every other way, what would become of her and her daughter? All the while, Mr Hilton is free on bail and living his “normal” life. Pray for Susie and her daughter and also for Angelo and his family and that whatever happens to Mr Hilton, that he can never ever hurt anyone again.
Diana Lopez, Susie’s Aunt
I cannot believe that a human being would kill two people and injure another and then GO HOME. He probably went for another drink. This guy is an irresponsible drunk. Fortunately for the victims he has some property, but there is little compensation for someone’s life and their health- it’s just too bad that the court can’t punish his family the same way that he punished others. Let’s hope he rots in jail and then BURNS IN H*LL in a nice long, slow roast.
as i read about this story i wonder how anyone could have just left two people laying in the highway and just go on home like it was something he did everyday as a job how heartless and cold this man is. then he walks back to see whats going on as if he didnt know,i am glad to know someone saw him and knew he had been the person that caused the accident and he needs to be in jail instead of on bail and he needs to not be on the streets for this to take place again. as i write this i feel for the girlfriend and family left behind to have to know that he is out and able to drink and drive and possibly kill again. this man is cold and heartless and has no morrells whatsoever as someone else wrote he is a drunk
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