South Carolina Bartender Charged in Vacationer's Staircase Death A South Carolina bartender is accused of pushing a vacationing Minnesota woman down stairs at Coot's Bar & Grill, causing fatal head trauma. She faces voluntary manslaughter. A South Carolina bartender has been accused of killing a vacationing Minnesota woman by pushing her down a flight of stairs at Coot’s Bar & Grill on Edisto Island, according to authorities. The suspect, identified as Hunt, was arrested on September 14 and charged in connection with the death of the woman, who has been named as Tomlinson. The victim, 68, had been visiting the area to celebrate her 62nd birthday with her best friend of nearly 50 years, Peterson. Fatal Push at Edisto Island BarAccording to an affidavit obtained by WCSC-TV, a witness told police that Hunt was seen shouting at Tomlinson inside Coot’s Bar & Grill before allegedly grabbing her and pushing her down the stairs. The incident occurred while Hunt was bartending at the establishment that day.Peterson, who had accompanied Tomlinson on the trip, described the aftermath. She said Tomlinson’s body did not even touch the steps but instead hit a slab of concrete at the bottom. Peterson ran to her friend and could not find a pulse, noting that Tomlinson was bleeding from the ears and mouth and that she knew it was a bad head injury.Tomlinson suffered severe head trauma and was medevacked to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, where she later succumbed to her injuries.Suspect Denies Allegations as Case ProceedsPolice say Hunt has denied pushing Tomlinson. Instead, Hunt claimed that Tomlinson fell down the stairs after she allegedly became belligerent, according to WCSC-TV. Hunt was arrested on September 14, jail records show.If found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, Hunt could face up to 30 years in state prison. Voluntary manslaughter means an intentional killing occurred in the circumstances of the moment, without there being a previous intent to kill.Tomlinson, who was from Minnesota, had been on a trip to see Peterson, her best friend for nearly 50 years, to celebrate their 62nd birthdays together when she was shoved, Peterson told WCSC-TV. After Tomlinson had gone to pay their bill, Hunt was seen shouting at Tomlinson inside Coot’s Bar & Grill, according to a witness who spoke with police.Victim Remembered as Vibrant and CompassionateTomlinson was survived by her mother, who died a few months later in December 2025, as well as her son, Wesley Tomlinson, several siblings, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews, according to her online obituary. The obituary described her as someone who embraced life vibrantly until her last breath on October 26, 2025, and noted that her resilience, bravery, and unyielding compassion left a profound mark on those she encountered.Separately, a South Carolina woman was sentenced to more than a decade behind bars after she killed a motorcyclist while driving under the influence as she was on her way to pick her daughter up from school. The 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office announced in a press release via Facebook that Kayla Tisdale pleaded guilty to one count in connection with that case.In another unrelated incident, a grieving groom has accepted a final settlement in a wrongful death suit he filed after his bride was killed by a drunk driver on the night of their wedding. Shortly after Samantha Miller and Aric Hutchinson tied the knot during a ceremony in Folly Beach, South Carolina, on April 28, 2023, she was killed.