Police blotter blast . . .

Submitted by Deborah Lavery Powers

Staff Reporter

The following are highlights from some recent narrative police report on file at the Fernandina Beach Police Department.

When a bottle containing a generic form of Ambien (a “sleeping aid”) was found under the edge of the Hotel Guest’s bed, it was nine pills short of the number prescribed a day earlier.  Just prior to finding the pills, Police observed the Hotel Guest apparently trying to reach for something under the covers or from behind the bed as he  crawled around the top of the bedding on his hands and knees — in his underwear — sweating profusely and mumbling unintelligible words.  The Guest’s female friend said she had never seen him behaving this way — and that he was acting like ‘he is on something.”     Police, fearing the man was reaching for a firearm, announced themselves multiple times and issued multiple commands for him to show his hands.  He didn’t comply.  And he resisted being handcuffed — to the point he was Taser’d.   Fire and Rescue were called, and the Hotel Guest was transported to the ER where he was restrained to his hospital bed due to his continued “unusual behavior.”  No criminal charges were issued.  The Hotel Guest was “released to the care and custody of hospital staff.”

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After starting his Silverado pick-up, the Driver found it wouldn’t go into gear, but he was still able to move it and drive it home by putting it into four-wheel drive.  A mechanic, called to the house, discovered the “why” of the problem.  The rear drive shaft was missing!  Latent fingerprints were discovered on the truck where the perpetrator may have touched the vehicle.

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You might want to call it the case of the runaway luggage cart.  A Hotel Guest was about to open his car door and put his bags inside when he dropped his keys.  As he leaned over to pick them up he, oops, let go of the luggage cart.  And away it went.  Rolling its way down the parking lot into the side of a Nissan.  Police were able to provide Guest and hotel management with the contact information for the Nissan’s owner.

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Ex-Boyfriend apparently decided to steal Ex-Girlfriend’s purse during a Sunday morning religious service.   She said he grabbed it right out from under the pew and pulled her cell out. He then told her —  as he walked out of the service — that he was going to “smash it.”   “A probable cause arrest affidavit” was issued on Ex-Boyfriend.

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The Patron had fallen asleep at the bar — and was asked to leave, allegedly because he was extremely intoxicated.  Patron refused.  When he was told Police had been called, he decided to take himself away — but not before throwing a beer at the bartender on his way out the door.  He then fled the scene.  Patron was located, and handcuffed for Police safety because he was carrying “a silver folding knife clipped to his right pocket.”  Patron resisted — kicking the officer, throwing himself at the officer, and then later aggressively kicking and punching the cell doors, amongst other things. He went to jail.  And was also issued a “trespass warning” at the request of the bar manager.

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The waitress’s wallet went up onto the shelf in the back room, to sit there beside the belongings of the rest of the staff while she worked her shift.  The only problem?  The wallet wasn’t there when she was ready to go home.  She reported her credit card and debit card stolen, but those weren’t her only losses.  $52, now gone, had also been in her wallet.

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The envelop from the Internal Revenue Service didn’t contain a tax refund.  It held, instead, a letter from the the IRS telling our Citizen that his identity might have been used by another person since two tax returns were filed in his name in 2010.  The IRS, as well as the Federal Trade Commission,  advised our Citizen to file a police report.

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A  Bar Patron was ejected from the premises because he got into a physical altercation with another patron.  He could “barely stand up” without holding onto the outdoor rail,  but continued becoming “increasingly belligerent” while yelling profanities at Police.  He was “sat on the ground” due to his inability to stand.  Wonder if Bar Patron was surprised when he was arrested for Disorderly Intoxication?

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He left his BMW — bearingTexas plates –unlocked when he went into the drug store.  When he came out, $50 in bills and twenty-four 7.5 mg hydrocodone pills were gone. And why didn’t he lock the car?  According to the Police report, “he thought he locked it with the remote but the battery was dead.”

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At 3:42 one morning, Fire and Rescue personnel were dispatched to a “possible cardiac red.”  Three on-duty Police officers, hearing the dispatch, were able to arrive at the scene within 2-3 minutes.  The patient’s wife led them to his bedside. An AED (automated external defibrillator) was employed, but no “shockable heart rhythm” was detected.  Fire and Rescue arrived a couple minutes later and the gentleman was declared deceased at 3:53 a.m.   Police stayed with his spouse for almost 5 more hours

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Victim came to the Police Station to report that during the previous night some of his tools, valued at approximately $220, were stolen from the tool box mounted on the back of his truck.  Was the tool box locked?  No.

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The Victim wanted to have evidence on hand before contacting Police so he set up a portable camera inside his closet to catch the Thief.  And, sure enough, his video caught images of his cleaning lady opening a cabinet drawer inside his closet and removing 17 Lortab (acetaminophen and hydrocodone) tablets.

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It was 0442 in the morning and the Thieves wanted the money in a restaurant’s  ATM machine.  First, they tried to tear the machine from the wall.  Didn’t work.  Next they tried to hammer open the safe at the bottom of the machine. That didn’t work either.  So they fled – but not before causing some $3000 worth of damage.    The Thieves – a gal and a guy, both about 20 years old — were caught on video.  She in her pink sweat pants and brown boots, he in his blue jeans and white sneakers.

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A citizen lost his life in a house fire early this week.    Click here for City of Fernandina Beach Press Release.

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A few days ago, a vehicle “came to rest” half-submerged in a retention pond off Sadler Road.  With two individuals in it!  The occupants were rescued — and the driver later arrested for DUI.  The fellow behind the wheel admitted to drinking “a six pack of Bud Light and 3 shots of tequila” at a nearby bar before the accident. The car had apparently “crashed through a metal fence” on its way into the retention pond.

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Editor’s Note: After a career in adult education, where writing, course design and development were her “beat”, Deborah is now enjoying the world of freelancing. And volunteering. We thank Deborah  for her contributions.

April 4, 2013 6:18 a.m.