Bartender Charged After Birthday Celebration Turns Deadly at South Carolina Bar
A birthday trip for two friends ended when a bartender allegedly shoved one woman down stairs, resulting in her death; the bartender, Mary Lopez Hunt, faces voluntary manslaughter and assault charges.
Ruth Peterson and Joyce Tomlinson, friends of 50 years, met on Edisto Island to mark their 60th birthdays. After drinking at Coot’s Bar & Grill, Tomlinson went to settle the bill while Peterson fetched their car. According to Peterson, a bartender, Mary Lopez Hunt, rushed at Tomlinson and pushed her, sending her head-first onto a concrete slab without touching the steps.
Tomlinson was airlifted to a hospital and died more than three weeks later. Hunt told police that Tomlinson was belligerent and claimed she fell, but court records show she has been charged with voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault. She was initially released on $100,000 bond for each count, but the bond was later revoked and she was taken back into custody.
Why it matters
The case raises questions about safety and liability in bars after a fatal assault.
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