Here’s how much North Myrtle Beach paid a local teen that police wrongly held at gunpoint

The city of North Myrtle Beach has settled a federal lawsuit after its officers pulled over a teenager and wrongfully detained her at gunpoint.

A payout of $250,000 will be given to La’Nisha Hemingway. In June, the 18-year-old sued the city of North Myrtle Beach, Police Chief Dana Crowell, and officers Mike Pacileo and Kayla Wallace for negligence, false imprisonment and violating her civil rights, the lawsuit stated.

Hemingway is a recent graduate of North Myrtle Beach High School, who, on the evening of May 3, 2024, was driving in North Myrtle Beach to meet up with friends.

Around 7 p.m., Pacileo pulled in front of Hemingway on U.S. 17 near Barefoot Landing, hopped out of his vehicle, pointed his gun at her and told her to stick her hands out the window, the lawsuit said.

Pacileo pulled her over because he thought she was driving a stolen vehicle. Hemingway was driving a dark gray Dodge Charger while police were looking for a silver Dodge Challenger.

Footage from Wallace’s body camera shows her pulling up to the scene shortly after Pacileo. As she gets out of the car, Wallace said, “That’s not it,” before pointing her gun at Hemingway and instructing her to, “Show me your hands.”

“If I would have moved differently or reacted differently, I probably wouldn’t be here today,” Hemingway said during a press conference on Nov. 21.

Wallace tells Hemingway to get out of the car, has her walk backwards and then handcuffs her. After Hemingway was handcuffed, the video show Pacileo searching her car. Wallace tells her she was pulled over because they got a hit the car was stolen.

At no time during the arrest was Hemingway asked for her name, license or vehicle registration.

“Did y’all even read the tags? No you did not, let me call my mama,” Hemingway can be heard saying in the body camera footage.

After Pacileo determined the car wasn’t stolen, police released Hemingway and she left. Officers did not document the incident until after Hemingway’s mother called the police station asking for more information. Hemingway accused the officers of not documenting this to try and “escape their required accountability,” the suit said.

“I’m not the same anymore. Every night I’m up thinking about how my life would have been taken away,” Hemingway said.

Tyler Bailey, her lawyer, said he commends North Myrtle Beach for taking the incident seriously and working to resolve the matter quickly. Hemingway hopes to use the money to start her own business in the future.

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