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GARDEN CITY — The maker of an umbrella that impaled a Garden City woman as she walked on the beach last year has denied all allegations of wrongdoing in a civil case brought by the woman’s husband, according to court documents filed this month.

East Coast Umbrella Inc. is being sued by Michael Perreault, whose wife Tammy died when a wind-blown umbrella struck her chest on Aug. 10, 2022. The case received national media coverage, and authorities ruled Tammy Perreault’s death was an accident.

But Michael Perreault filed a wrongful death lawsuit on Aug. 15, accusing the company of selling a “spear-like” product, according to court records.

In its Oct. 2 response to the lawsuit, the North Carolina-based manufacturer listed 13 possible defenses. The company’s primary contention was that Perreault lacks sufficient evidence to prove the firm’s liability. The company also argued that the incident could be considered “an act of God,” potentially shielding the manufacturer from liability.

In his lawsuit, Perreault alleged the umbrella lacked proper safeguards to keep it anchored in the sand. He said the company provided no warnings about what could happen if the umbrella wasn’t secured.

“As a result of Defendant’s negligence, gross negligence and recklessness, Decedent Tammy Perreault suffered severe bodily injuries including her ultimate death,” the complaint states.

Michael Perreault has accused East Coast Umbrella of creating an umbrella design that was “unreasonably dangerous, inadequate, unsafe, hazardous and defective,” which included its “spear-like” end, according to the lawsuit.

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The widower said he and his wife did not know about the umbrella’s defects as they walked on the beach that day, and he blames those defects for her death.

“Perreault has lost the aid, comfort, companionship, support and society of his wife, Tammy Perreault, and (he) has suffered extreme emotional distress, anxiety, grief, and sorrow, for which he is entitled to recover damages,” according to the lawsuit.

Michael Perreault declined to comment, citing the emotional toll he feels when discussing the case. His attorney, Ian Maguire, also would not discuss the case.

East Coast Umbrella Inc. listed among its defenses that its products are state-of-the-art and meet all industry standards. It argued that the accident could have been caused by someone misusing the umbrella.

Perreault has demanded a jury trial and is seeking damages.

East Coast Umbrella is looking to move the case to federal court, according to an Oct. 11 filing. The company stated that federal court is the proper jurisdiction for the case because the plaintiff is seeking more than $75,000 in damages and lives in South Carolina while the firm is based in North Carolina.

In July, Perreault reached a settlement with Beach Services Ltd., an umbrella rental service, and the company’s owner, according to court documents. The terms of that settlement were not disclosed.

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Since Tammy Perreault’s death, Horry County officials have avoided making any changes to the county’s beach shading rules.

The county only allows umbrellas up to 7 to 9 feet in diameter on the beach from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The county doesn’t allow large tents or wind-driven shading devices.

On April 11, Horry officials rejected requests from popular wind-driven shade companies Shibumi and Solbello, which sell canopies that flutter in the wind like flags, to exempt their products from the umbrellas-only policy. County officials said the shading devices would take up too much space and impede the vision of first responders.

Four auto-oriented businesses are opening in the Myrtle Beach area.

Last week, The Sun News reported that Mako Express Car Wash is adding two locations in Myrtle Beach and Conway.

The Myrtle Beach area is experiencing rapid development. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Horry County gained 32,000 residents between April 2020 and July 2022. Myrtle Beach was named the fastest growing place in America for the third year in a row.

The companies could not be reached for comment on expected opening dates.

Take 5 Oil Change will move into a lot on the corner of U.S. Highway 17 Bypass and Palmetto Pointe Boulevard, according to Horry County land records. This site was recently vacated by used car dealer Competition Cars, which moved to 541 Piedmont Ave. in Myrtle Beach.

Take 5 Oil Change already has four locations in the area, including Murrells Inlet and Carolina Forest. The Charlotte-based company offers 10-minute drive-through oil changes.

Address: 4806 U.S. Highway 17 Bypass, Myrtle Beach

Refuel Gas Station is coming by the Publix near Market Common, according to real estate brokerage Belk Lucy. The gas station will be located on the northwest corner of Coventry Marketplace, right off of U.S. Highway 17 Bypass.

Address: 1051 Green Teal Drive, Myrtle Beach

Tidal Wave Auto Spa announced it will open a location near the intersection of U.S. Highway 17 Bypass and Dick Pond Road. The car wash takes the place of the recently demolished Rite Aid in the Walmart-anchored complex.

Address: 2701 Dick Pond Road, Surfside Beach

In addition to the Dick Pond Road location, Tidal Waves Auto Spa is set to open by the Walmart across from the U.S. Highway 17 Tanger Outlets. These two new car washes join a Conway location.

Address: 10830 Kings Road, Myrtle Beach

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From fettuccine alfredo and veal marsala to calamari and cannolis, who can resist a delicious Italian meal?

With over 2,000 full-service restaurants in the Myrtle Beach area, there are many eateries on the Grand Strand where you can get your fill.

Whether you want to dine near Broadway at the Beach, Coastal Grande Mall or Family Kingdom, there’s an Italian restaurant for you.

Here are the highest-rated Italian restaurants in Myrtle Beach, according to Google reviews.

Since 1985, Villa Romana has served Roman-style dishes. Located near Family Kingdom, the restaurant uses family recipes. If you’re lucky, you might be serenaded by the house accordion player.

Plan a date night at Solé Italian Restaurant, an upscale spot near Broadway at the Beach. Google reviewers recommended the fiocchi appetizer – pear-stuffed pasta with a cream sauce. “It was out of this world. The pear and cheeses really went together,” one diner wrote this summer.

For over 15 years, diners have enjoyed from-scratch Italian dishes at Ciao. Some unusual dishes on the menu include the spinach and walnut ravioli – which one reviewer described as “scrumptious” – and the grouper francaise, served over with a lemon-wine sauce over pasta. Each entree comes with fresh bread and a walnut pesto dipping sauce.

Fill your appetite for Italian food all day long at Maggi D’s, near the Coastal Grande Mall. Order a sandwich or classic soup for lunch and check Facebook page for dinner specials. Don’t forget dessert – Google reviewers recommend the cheesecake and cannolis.

Choose between New York-style pizza and Italian favorites at Little Italy. The thin-crust pizzas are cooked in a brick oven. On weeknights, stop by for a happy hour, with discounted appetizers and drinks from 4-7 p.m.

North Myrtle Beach is getting a new luxury shopping center.

Lake View Commons is a luxury strip mall at 900 Highway 17 South in North Myrtle Beach.

The 14,000-square-foot building will feature a steakhouse named 900 Prime, a high-end clothing shop, a Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry and other stores.

One space at Lake View is still available, according to the strip mall’s Facebook.

Michael King is the CEO and Founder of KingOne Properties and is the developer of Lake View Commons. He said the strip mall would open once the steakhouse was ready, projected to be in early spring 2024.

King added work on the building would cost eight million dollars, and including the land, totaled $10 million.

“I’ve always tried to concentrate on bringing class and style to our area,” King said. “Every community needs a mix of every dynamic, and I’ve just always liked trying to bring the high end here.”

A Myrtle Beach real estate agent since the 1980s, King said part of the project is bringing the aesthetics of Florida here.

Lake View is partly inspired by the South Florida architecture of Italian architect Addison Mizner, one of the most prominent in the state during the 1920s.

“I like South Florida, and I like what it has to offer, its architectural style, and I thought it would work really well here in Myrtle Beach,” he said. “We have beautiful beaches, wonderful southern hospitality, and still, a very affordable price to get what you get here in our area.”

Another part of the project caters to residents of the Northeast and Florida regions, who have moved to the area in droves in recent years.

Businesses have opened in the Myrtle Beach area to address the growing demand, and King said Lake View Commons will help that effort.

“We’ll have people move from the Northeast and go down to South Florida, and it’s a little too much,” King said. “So they’ll move up in this area, and they’re used to high-end stuff up in the northeast, as well as in the Miami Fort Lauderdale area... They’re desiring the type of things that you find in the Northeast or in South Florida.”

More projects are in the works to fulfill that desire, too.

Another Lake View Commons is coming too, King said. A second 22,000-square-foot building with restaurants and boutique shopping is in the planning stages and should be completed in 2025, he added.

This story was originally published October 9, 2023, 5:00 AM.