A South Carolina bartender is accused of shoving a vacationer down a flight of stairs, causing the woman to fall headfirst onto a slab of concrete and killing her.
Mary Hunt, 68, is charged with voluntary manslaughter in the death of 62-year-old Joyce Tomlinson of Minnesota, court records show.
Tomlinson was vacationing with Ruth Peterson, her friend of five decades who lives in the area. The two were celebrating their 62nd birthdays together, Peterson said in an interview with WCSC.
Shortly after 10 p.m., the pair decided to head home for the night. Peterson said she went to grab the car while Tomlinson stayed behind in the bar to pay the tab.
“I turned around to see if she had come out yet. Joyce turned back around to head down the stairs. The lady just took off running and pushed her with both hands as hard as she could in the back,” Peterson told the TV station.
Tomlinson “sailed” over the steps without hitting a single one, then struck a slab of concrete, her head slamming against it.
“At that point I ran over to her, and I couldn’t find the pulse,” Peterson said. “She was bleeding from the ears and from her mouth. I knew it was a bad head injury.”
A witness reportedly told police that Tomlinson and Hunt had been arguing before the suspect grabbed the victim by the neck and pushed her down the stairs.
Hunt, for her part, blamed Tomlinson, claiming the victim was drunk and belligerent before falling down the stairs on her own. But Peterson disputed that account, describing her longtime friend as “meek” and “not a very confrontational person.”
Paramedics airlifted Tomlinson to a hospital, where she died about three weeks later from her injuries. “I just can’t believe she’s gone, just like that,” Peterson said.
Hunt was arrested earlier this month and remains held at the Colleton County Jail on a $100,000 bond. Her next scheduled court date was not listed in available records.
The case has left Tomlinson’s loved ones grappling with the sudden and violent nature of her death, which occurred during what was meant to be a celebratory getaway with a lifelong friend. Peterson, who witnessed the incident firsthand, has since spoken publicly about the encounter in hopes of shedding light on what she describes as an unprovoked attack.
Authorities have not released additional details about a possible motive behind the alleged altercation, nor has it been confirmed what, if anything, led to tension between Hunt and Tomlinson prior to the shove. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing as Hunt awaits further legal proceedings.