Longboat Key Cops Corner: Watch for those flashing yellow lights

Police reports from around Longboat Key.

By Eric Garwood
| 6:10 a.m. April 9, 2019

Longboat Key
Cops Corner

March 30

All is secure

1:08 a.m., 700 block of Broadway Street

Alarm: Police responded to a commercial alarm, checked the building and found everything was secure, with no signs of a break-in.

It’s kinda late

2:12 a.m., 5300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Noise: An officer was sent to a resort to investigate a report of noise coming from the pool area. The officer found a group of juveniles swimming in the pool after hours. He told the group about the disturbance report, and they returned to their rooms.

He woke Mom

8:18 a.m.. 5800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Abandoned 911 call: Police headed to a residential complex to check out an abandoned call on the 911 emergency line. When an officer reached the complex, he checked a unit behind the office and found two boys who had been playing on the phone. The officer spoke to the boys’ mother, who had been sleeping, who said she would address the matter.

No harm

9:44 a.m., 600 Bay Isles Parkway

Property damage: A police officer was behind a fire-rescue truck when the officer saw the truck brush the gate arm alongside a community’s entrance, knocking the arm off. The guard on duty said the gate is equipped with shear pins designed to break under such conditions, preventing further damage. The gate was later replaced and functioning. No damage was done to the gate or the fire-rescue truck.

Watch those crosswalks

On at least two occasions in the last week, police pulled over drivers who rolled through crosswalks on Gulf of Mexico Drive while the yellow warning lights were activated. One of them got a ticket, the other a warning. Both got a lesson in how the island’s crosswalks work.

A man was cited on April 3 when an officer in a marked patrol car watched his van fail to yield for a pedestrian in the crosswalk with the lights flashing in the 1000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive. The driver told Officer Dexter Nazareno he was looking for street signs to help find his next job site and didn’t see the pedestrian or the flashing lights. The officer reminded the driver about what the bright yellow lights and warning signs in front of the crosswalk mean and issued a ticket for failure to yield right of way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk with signage.

On March 31, a driver from out of state was spotted driving through a crosswalk near Bayfront Park after the flashing yellow lights had been activated. The visitor was instructed about the meaning of the signalized crosswalks and was told she’d have been cited had a pedestrian been crossing at the time. The driver was issued a verbal warning, and she apologized and said she’d be more careful.

Another way home

11:01 a.m., 3600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: The island’s traffic-monitoring camera system alerted police to a car owned by a person with a suspended license driving northbound. Police performed a traffic stop and spoke to the driver, who said he was unaware his license had been suspended in February for failing to attend a driver-improvement class in connection with a previous citation. The driver was cited for driving with a suspended license without knowledge. His license was confiscated, and the driver made arrangements for someone to come to the scene and drive the car away.

Beer run

12:53 p.m., 5300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic/parking: Police were alerted to a truck blocking the bicycle lane near a shopping plaza. The officer sent to the location found a beer truck making a delivery and told its driver it was not OK to park there. The driver said he didn’t know and promptly moved it.

Dock on the bay

6:53 p.m., Off the key

Public service: While on marine patrol, an officer spotted a large segment of floating dock drifting in Sarasota Bay. It was towed to a nearby marina and secured. Ownership of the marina was notified to see if a dock on the premises was missing. If not, arrangements would be made for the Public Works Department to remove the dock.

March 31

Not exactly a party

12:52 a.m., 5300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Noise disturbance: Police were sent to a resort to investigate reports of a loud party. The officer who arrived less than five minutes later reported finding no loud noise but encountered a group of youngsters talking around a hot tub. They were told the pool area was closed, and a noise complaint was registered with the police. The officer watched as the youngsters returned to their rooms.

Lunch time, eagle style

11:23 a.m., 3000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Animal call: A caller alerted police to an eagle on a rooftop, possibly stuck in a chimney. The officer sent to investigate reported the eagle seemed to be in no distress and appeared to be eating. A call by the officer to Save Our Seabirds on City Island revealed that eagles can often take hours to finish a meal. The caller was told to contact police again if the eagle was still there in four hours.

Keeping an eye out

3:16 p.m., 500 block of Bay Isles Road

Suspicious vehicle: A caller to police was concerned about a car seen parked on the property of a house of worship and then drove off when approached. The caller said it was possible the car was stopped so the driver could speak on a cell phone, but couldn’t be sure. Police looked for a car of a similar description but couldn’t find one.

You and Mr. Beam will have to leave

3 p.m., Greer Island

Beverage violation: A beachgoer on Greer Island was spotted by an officer on foot patrol carrying an opened bottle of whiskey. Police escorted the man to the beach access point and issued a notice to appear in court in connection with the town’s prohibition of open containers of alcohol on the beach.

Something in the air, Part I

11:23 p.m., 6300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious vehicle: Police answering a call about a suspicious vehicle near Wake Island Road encountered contractors conducting a cell-service survey for the town.

Tomorrow is another day

10:40 p.m., 5300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Noise: A call about a noise disturbance brought police to a resort, where an officer found a group of guests around the pool. The officer told the group pool hours closed at 10 p.m.. The guests said they didn’t know and went back to their rooms.

Something in the air, Part II

7:35 a.m., 4200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious person: A man with a chair, a generator and a pole sitting on a sidewalk attracted the attention of a caller to police. Once speaking to the man, police learned he was taking part in a cell-service survey being conducted for the town.

April 1

Maybe, call a little earlier?

1 p.m., 5400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious circumstance: A visitor from out of the country called police to report a traffic incident he experienced in Hillsborough County. The man said a car tailgated him on Interstate 4, then pulled in front and suddenly applied the brakes. The man said he didn’t want any trouble with U.S. immigration officials, as he visits the U.S. several times a year. Police told him it would be best to call 911 at the time of the incident and report it to the Florida Highway Patrol.

April 2

Sounds in the night

4:20 a.m., 700 block of Broadway Street

Suspicious circumstance: Police went to the home of a couple who reported hearing sounds similar to digging or dragging something in the shell/gravel outside their window. Officers found nothing suspicious. The couple’s car was locked nearby and the home’s motion-detection lights did not activate. Police told the couple to call again anytime.

April 4

A helping hand

1:31 a.m., police headquarters

Illness: A officer on duty at the police station helped a man next door to the Longboat Key Fire Department after he arrived complaining of stomach pain. The main, who has a history of heart issues, was checked by fire-rescue personnel. He was not transported to the hospital.

Home from the (dog) hospital

10:42 p.m., 2400 block of Harbourside Drive

Public service: Police received a call for assistance from residents who had just brought their dog home from surgery to find their building’s elevator was out of order. The responding police officer, Sgt. Richard Schoepfer, carried the dog up five floors to the residents’ home.