Hefty Bond Set for Hwy. 17 Crash Suspect

The man accused of seriously injuring a highway worker in a Monday DUI-related crash has a history of drinking and driving, according to court records.

Daniel Hamrick, 34, faces a felony DUI charge related to the 3:30 a.m. Monday accident on Highway 17. That crash resulted in a construction worker being thrown into an asphalt-mixing device, according to police.

It’s not the first time Hamrick has faced DUI charges. Court records show he has twice pleaded guilty to DUI, in 2006 and again in 2007. He also has two major speeding tickets on his record. One of those involved driving 25 miles over the speed limit, records indicate.

Hamrick still is in jail, held on a $250,000 bond, records indicate. The Mount Pleasant resident will be back in front of a judge on January 27, 2012.

The Monday accident, as well as five other instances of drunk or impaired drivers being arrested in recent weeks along Highway 17, prompted as stern warning to motorists from Mount Pleasant Mayor Billy Swails.

“We’ve had six drug or alcohol related crashes along Highway 17 recently,” Swails said. “And we can’t have what just happened, happen again.”

The town has already lowered the speed limit to 35 mph from the Ravenel Bridge to Wando High School in an effort to protect highway workers. On Tuesday, Swails said Police Chief Harry Sewell has ordered more patrols to spot speeding motorists and impaired drivers.