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Tag: Holmes Beach Police Department

Holmes Beach officer assaulted by suspect

Holmes Beach officer assaulted by suspect

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – A man was arrested for resisting an officer with violence and transported to the Manatee County Jail after injuring a city police officer at a shopping plaza, according to a police report.

The incident occurred on Oct. 20 at around 2:05 a.m. While patrolling a shopping plaza in the 3300 block of East Bay Drive, Officer Andrew Adkins said he saw a man standing next to the door of Cheesecake Cutie and Cafe.

“Upon sight of my marked patrol vehicle, he began walking away from the door,” Adkins said in his report. “I turned around and got out with the subject, later identified as Kevin McNamara, on the sidewalk of the restaurant. It should be noted I was in full police uniform. I asked him what he was doing, and he explained he was walking home from work and stopped to meet with a friend. I looked and did not see anyone else.”

Adkins said he tried to explain to McNamara, 35, of Sarasota, that what he was doing was suspicious since all of the businesses in the plaza were closed and the area was private property. McNamara argued that it was public property, and he had a right to be there, becoming agitated, according to the report.

When asked for his ID, McNamara began searching through a bag but became more agitated and eventually threw the bag at Adkins and told him to find it. Adkins dumped the contents of the bag on a table and, while doing so, McNamara approached him, becoming more agitated as he was told to stand back.

“I tried to get him to step back but he took a slightly bladed stance, clinched his fists, and got less than a foot away from me. Kevin was visibly angry and told me twice to ‘do something, bro,’ ” Adkins wrote in his report. “At this point, I felt that violence against me was about to take place, so I told him he was under arrest. Kevin turned around and I went to put his hands behind his back, but he quickly spun back around towards me and punched me on my left side. I grabbed ahold of Kevin to try and gain control, but he also grabbed ahold of me. I struggled to get control of him because he was also trying to control me, and we fell to the ground.”

McNamara refused to comply with orders to stop resisting arrest, according to the report. Another office arrived at the scene and the two officers were able to get McNamara in handcuffs. In McNamara’s bag, the officers found his ID along with two hypodermic syringes and two knives.

Adkins sustained injuries including lacerations to his head and neck.

McNamara requested medics for a high heart rate that he felt was getting worse, so Manatee County EMS was called. EMS came and cleared him, and he refused further treatment.

Manatee County Sheriff's Office

Attacker in 2022 Holmes Beach battery sentenced

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – After a year and a half, a second attacker in a 2022 battery case has been sentenced to prison.

On Oct. 12, Judge Stephen Whyte of Manatee County’s Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court sentenced John William Bartholow, 18, of Ellenton, to three years in state prison along with one year of community control and six years of probation following his release. He also was sentenced to 16 weeks of anger management classes, substance abuse and mental health evaluations and treatment and 100 hours of public service work for his role in the March 23, 2022 attack on Evan Purcell, 41, at Anna Maria Elementary School. He must also write a letter of apology to the victim.

Bartholow pled no contest to the felony charge of aggravated battery with great bodily harm.

Attacker in 2022 Holmes Beach battery sentenced
Bartholow

Purcell, a Holmes Beach resident, was walking his dog with his 10-year-old niece when he came upon some teenagers breaking bottles, drinking alcohol and vandalizing AME property. According to police, Purcell yelled at the group to stop what they were doing, resulting in the group of teens becoming aggressive. Although Purcell waved a pocketknife as he feared for his safety, it was not a deterrent. He was knocked to the ground and beaten with a wooden object, possibly a skateboard.

Bartholow was one of three suspects arrested in the attack. Cameron Evans, 20, of Sarasota, was given a similar sentence last March. The identity of the juvenile involved in the attack was not released.

Bartholow was also convicted of felony criminal mischief in a separate case, and has nine unrelated criminal charges pending for burglary and attempted burglary of an unoccupied conveyance.

Since the incident, several security measures have been put in place at Anna Maria Elementary to deter loitering on school grounds after hours. Locking gates have been installed at all vehicle entrances and “No Beach Parking” signs have been posted to keep the lots clear during the day.

Holmes Beach man pleads for the return of stolen lighthouse

Holmes Beach resident searches for stolen lighthouse

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – A local is asking for the public’s help after a decorative lighthouse that he calls a family heirloom was stolen from his yard. Wayne Giordano, a New York native, brought the lighthouse with him when his family bought their home on the corner of 36th Street and Gulf Drive.

“We don’t live here full-time and rent our house to tourists sometimes when we’re not here,” Giordano said. “When the lighthouse disappeared we actually didn’t have anyone renting the house. It went missing the last week of September into the first week of October, but I have no way of knowing exactly what day.”

Giordano says the lighthouse is about four feet tall, rotates and is electrically powered, shining a light as it rotates. He says due to the size and weight, the person who took it would have most likely needed a truck, as it would be difficult to fit it in an average car. 

“The lighthouse has been in the family for 15 to 20 years,” Giordano said. “I had it in my home in the Catskill Mountains and, when we bought here in 2016, I brought it down 2,000 miles. We have a lot of good family memories, it reminds us of good times. It’s not about the thousand dollars we paid for it; it’s all about the memories.”

Giordano says when he put it on the corner, he didn’t want the light to bother anyone, including wildlife, so he put it on a timer to only run a few hours after sunset and changed the 40-watt bulb to a 15-watt. There were never any complaints from neighbors. A police report was filed with Holmes Beach Police but no suspect has been identified.

Giordano is offering a $250 reward for the return of the lighthouse. He says no questions will be asked and no charges will be pressed if the lighthouse is returned. He just wants the lighthouse returned safely. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the lighthouse is asked to call 917-842-0670. Anonymous calls are welcome. 

Wanted man found hiding on Holmes Beach roof

Wanted man found hiding on Holmes Beach roof

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – In the early afternoon of Sept. 24, Holmes Beach Police Officer Chris Liotti responded to a dispatch call about a possible fraudulent renter with a bad credit card at 210 72nd St.

When the officer arrived at the home, he met with Adrian Johnson, the owner of Seabreeze Vacation Rentals. Johnson said he received a rental agreement for the property and sent the renter the door code by email, but shortly after, he learned the credit card had been declined. An email and phone call to the renter went unanswered, so he called police.

However, an arrest would be made on an entirely different matter.

According to Liotti’s report, Johnson allowed him and other officers into the home so they could make contact with whoever might be inside. Officers loudly announced their presence, but no one responded. After continuing to order anyone in the home to make their presence known, a male and female came out of a bedroom and said there were more people in the house, but they weren’t sure how many.

Continuing to clear the house, Liotti went to the second floor and found a locked bedroom. A male and female eventually came out, looking as if they had been asleep, according to the report. Officer Jason Higgins escorted the couple downstairs while Liotti continued to the third floor where he found a fifth person hiding beside the bed, who was placed in handcuffs and detained while the officers continued to clear the house.

Liotti noticed the door to the upstairs patio was open, so he walked outside and saw a spiral staircase leading to a rooftop observation deck, which appeared to be empty at first glance.

“After advising the roof was clear, Sgt. Copeman advised he could see someone hiding on the lower portion of the roof,” Liotti said in his report. “I tried to walk across the roofline to try to make contact with the subject, but due to the pitch of the roof, along with the slippery texture, I made the determination it was no longer safe to proceed.”

Police determined the only way to safely reach the roof was with a tall ladder, so they called West Manatee Fire Rescue, which didn’t have a ladder truck available at the time but sent another truck to try and assist. Once firefighters arrived on the scene, the man on the roof, later identified as Eric Woods, 43, of Sarasota, came out of hiding and surrendered. Once he came off the roof, police found there was an active Sarasota warrant for Woods for theft. In addition to being arrested for the warrant, Woods was charged with obstruction and resisting arrest without violence.

No charges were filed against any of the occupants of the home, but Liotti’s report says charges could be issued pending further investigation. None of the other occupants had any warrants and were allowed to get their items and leave the home.

While being processed, Woods complained of an injured foot and was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital. Afterward, he was taken to Manatee County Jail by a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy.

Turtle nests run over on AMI beaches

Turtle nests run over on AMI beaches

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – On a daily patrol last week, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers were shocked and saddened to find multiple turtle nests that had been trampled on and run over with vehicles.

On its Facebook page, Turtle Watch posted photos of tire tracks and footprints through multiple nests with marker stakes broken and on the ground.

Vehicles are illegal on the beaches of Anna Maria Island.

“We’d like to remind everyone that tampering with, disturbing or harassing any nest, adult or hatchling sea turtle is a federal offense punishable by a fine and/or jail time,” Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella said.

Disturbances to nests have the potential to impact their success, she said.

“We don’t know if any of the eggs were broken,” Mazzarella said. “We’ll find that out later in the season.”

Turtle Watch volunteers spent the morning of July 11 reposting nest stakes and documenting disturbances to at least four nests in undisclosed locations in Anna Maria and Holmes Beach.

This is the second time in a week that Turtle Watch volunteers found damaged nests, although Mazzarella said the prior incidents were likely not malicious and due to carelessness.

Mazzarella said multiple issues with nests following the Fourth of July holiday included people knocking over stakes, tearing marker tape, walking across nests, digging in the sand close to nests and putting up tents in nesting areas.

Turtle nests on local beaches are clearly marked with yellow numbered stakes and pink caution tape.

Turtle nesting season runs from May through October.

“I’d like to remind people, if you see something, say something,” Mazzarella said.

Report wildlife violations to the FWC. If your information results in an arrest or citation, you may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. You can report four ways:

• “FWC Wildlife Alert” app (download from Google Play or Apple Store)

• Text 847411 (Tip411) with the keyword “FWC” and information about the violation

• Call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922)

• Submit a tip at MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert

If you see a nesting turtle or hatchling in distress, call Turtle Watch at 941-301-8434.

Local developer arrested for DUI

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Anna Maria Island developer and business owner Shawn Thomas Kaleta, 45, of Holmes Beach, was arrested for driving under the influence and resisting arrest on June 15.

In a 29-page police report, Holmes Beach Police Officer Andrew Adkins said that he observed a black Mercedes-Benz SUV speeding while traveling east on Manatee Avenue. While following the vehicle across the Anna Maria Island Bridge, he noticed that the driver was driving erratically, causing him to initiate a traffic stop.

In the police report, Adkins said Kaleta did not follow directions, left the SUV without being ordered to do so and failed to provide his driver’s license. Once out of the car, Adkins said that Kaleta continued to disregard directions, placing a phone call and giving the officer varying stories about whether he was on his way to visit his mother in the hospital or on his way back.

Local developer arrested for DUI
Kaleta

Adkins attempted a field sobriety test after detecting alcohol on Kaleta, who refused to cooperate, according to the report. When the officer informed him that he was under arrest, Kaleta pulled away and didn’t comply with orders to stop, resulting in Adkins wrestling him to the ground to complete the arrest.

While at the police station, Kaleta complained of being dehydrated and asked for water, which restarted the DUI observation period, according to the report. He then asked for medical attention. After paramedics cleared him, Kaleta requested to go to the hospital, where Adkins said he spent more than an hour in the restroom before Adkins assisted him out.

According to the report, Kaleta was released from the hospital with no medical issues, and declined to give a breath or blood sample. He was transported to the county jail where he was released the following day on $620 bond.

He is charged with DUI and resisting arrest without violence, both misdemeanors, and is scheduled for an arraignment on Monday, July 17 at 9 a.m. at the Manatee County Courthouse in Bradenton.

Pedestrians struck while crossing street

Pedestrians struck while crossing street

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – The intersection of Gulf Drive and Marina Drive in Holmes Beach was temporarily closed May 12 after two female pedestrians were struck by a truck while crossing the street in a marked crosswalk. The driver, Michael Ritchie of Bradenton, told police he had the green light and did not see the women as he was turning left from southbound Marina Drive onto southbound Gulf Drive.

“It’s important for motorists to understand that they must yield to pedestrians even if the light is green, as it was in this case,” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said. “The only time a person turning left has the right of way over pedestrians is when they have a green left-turn arrow. There is no arrow at this intersection, so drivers always need to be alert when turning.”

The two women, identified as Miriam and Deborah Trotter, both sustained injuries. While D. Trotter was released from HCA Blake Medical Center the same day, M. Trotter suffered critical injuries and remains on life support at press time for The Sun.

Ritchie was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian.

Multiple departments respond to Cortez Bridge incident

Multiple departments respond to Cortez Bridge incident

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Bradenton Beach Police officers Devon Straight and Tom Ferrara were at the Circle K near Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach when a concerned citizen came in and told them there was a man on the Bradenton Beach side of the Cortez Bridge screaming for help and running into traffic. The incident began around 7:35 p.m. on May 7.

“Myself and Officer Ferrara quickly responded and soon located the male standing in the middle of Cortez Road next to the Bradenton Beach Police station,” Straight said in a written report. “The male, later identified as Gregory Cawley, appeared wide-eyed and very anxious.”

Officers said that throughout the encounter, Cawley continued to reference people on the scene that weren’t there, including a group of people across the street that were watching the incident. No such group was present on the scene, leading officers to believe he was hallucinating and, due to his dilated pupils, they believed the incident was drug-related.

Straight’s report said Cawley was still fighting police and trying to break free even after EMS arrived and he was handcuffed to a stretcher. Once in the ambulance, he admitted to snorting and consuming crystal meth, although no drugs were found on him. Cawley was taken to HCA Blake Medical Center.

Spring break in full swing on AMI

Spring break in full swing on AMI

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Thousands of students, many with their families, have flocked to AMI to escape the still-freezing temperatures farther north, trading quizzes and tests for beach volleyball and fun in the sun.

Due to different regions of the country having spring break on different weeks, the season here on the Island runs from the first week of March through the first week of April, making spring break more than a month long. Traffic will be heavy, parking will be limited, beaches will be busier than any other time of the year and wait times at restaurants will be longer, but there’s plenty of fun to be had if these things are factored in when making plans for a day on AMI.

“There is parking, even this time of year,” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said. “Saturday, March 11, the Manatee Beach lot was full by 11:15 a.m., but at 3 p.m. there were still 52 clearly marked parking spots that were open. On Sunday, March 12, the beach lot was full by 10:30 a.m., but more than an hour later at 11:50 a.m., there were still 88 clearly marked parking spots near the beach.”

Tampa International Airport issued a statement saying March 11 and March 26 were the two peak travel days for passengers coming to the area for the spring break season. When local Island residents are asked what the busiest day of the year is, the answer is often March 15, as it is a metaphorical bullseye in the middle of spring break season.

“We’re with Lone Star Soccer Club out of Austin, Texas. We have a tournament in Bradenton this week, so we get to spend our spring break here,” said Shelby Hollywood, who is here with three of her friends. “The water is so clear, the beach is beautiful and the people are friendly; we’re having a great time.”

Unlike Miami, Panama City, Daytona Beach and even Siesta Key, AMI isn’t known as a chaotic “party” spring break destination. Many young people come with their families, and the Island doesn’t experience many of the problems those destinations see year after year. Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach see the highest concentrations of spring breakers on the Island, and neither of those police departments have reported any serious crime or violence so far this season. However, police in all three Island cities warn visitors to practice common sense. Lock car doors and keep valuables out of sight, walk in groups after dark, don’t leave valuables unattended while on the beach, and don’t have pets or drink alcohol on the beach. Alcohol is not permitted on any public beach on AMI, and this is strictly enforced, especially this time of year.

“We want everybody to have a great time, but we also want everyone to be respectful and responsible,” Tokajer said. “Just remember you are vacationing in a residential area.”

According to the Holmes Beach Police Department, which has license plate readers that count how many cars enter the city each day, the first week of March saw 214,740 cars, for an average of 30,677 per day. The first weekend of week two (March 11-12) there were 36,718 and 35,468 respectively, a significant increase, showing the crowds are growing as the season peaks.

AME student’s art on patrol with HBPD officer

AME student’s art on patrol with HBPD officer

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Anna Maria Elementary School fifth grader Charlee Maize has her artwork displayed in an unconventional place – in the window of Holmes Beach Police Officer Christine LaBranche’s patrol vehicle.

As the school’s resource officer, LaBranche is a daily presence at AME and a friend of students and staff alike.

LaBranche presented school Principal Mike Masiello with the idea to create a contest for fifth graders to create artwork honoring police officers and their work in the community.

The winner’s artwork would be turned into a decal to be placed on the officer’s patrol vehicle. With Maisello’s support, the contest was held with the theme of “police protecting our community.” After reviewing all of the submitted artwork, HBPD Chief Bill Tokajer chose Maize as the winner.

AME student’s art on patrol with HBPD officer
Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer congratulates fifth grader Charlee Maize on her contest-winning artwork, which will spend the rest of the school year on School Resource Officer Christine LaBranche’s patrol vehicle. – Submitted

“The idea was brought to me by Officer LaBranche, and I loved it,” Masiello said. “She said she had seen it somewhere else, and it would be great for community relations and I agreed.”

Tokajer presented Maize with the chief’s challenge coin. Her art will remain displayed on the school resource officer’s police vehicle until after next year’s competition.

“Every student did a great job,” Tokajer said. “I really liked the way Charlee made the “o” in police as a donut, it was a great touch, and we’re happy her work will be seen by many in Holmes Beach. We hope to continue this with the fifth graders every year.”

He said he hopes to make this a yearly tradition honoring the artwork of AME students and to continue the long-time positive relationship between the community and the police department.

AME is one of only a few elementary schools in the county with a full-time police officer stationed on campus. Tokajer says while it is common to have a police presence at high schools, AME is fortunate to have the service of a full-time school resource officer. While he said most elementary and schools do have on-site security, they are generally private, often retired police officers and bonded civilian agents.

Bomb threat causes evacuation at Holmes beach resort

Bomb threat causes evacuation at Holmes beach resort

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Police aren’t sure whether Bobby Entrekin is a disgruntled former guest, employee or even the name of a real person, but a man going by this name called in a bomb threat Saturday, Oct. 22 that resulted in the evacuation of everyone at the White Sands Beach Resort.

It began when Police Communications Officer Christopher Liotti received a call from a male subject who identified himself as Bobby Entrekin. The subject said
he had planted explosive devices in planters near the pool area of the White Sands Resort, and additional explosive devices around other areas of the property that would detonate 30 minutes after his call to police. He also said police would not be able to find the devices.

Liotti said the man sounded agitated and said he was upset with “Cubans” in the area. According to the police report, the phone number came from an area code in California, and the caller said he currently lived in Shreveport, Louisiana, but that could not be verified.

At 1:47 a.m., Holmes Beach Officer Ryan Welch and Sgt. Mike Walker responded to White Sands, but parked their patrol cars in the 200 block of 66th Street, out of view of the resort. Protocol for bomb threat-related incidents requires officers responding to the area to turn off their radios, so the officers did and then checked the perimeter of the area for suspicious items, none of which were found. The decision was then made to evacuate the property for the safety of the guests.

“Once the guests were evacuated, they were led to 65th Street near the intersection of Holmes Boulevard,” Welch said in his report. “Officer Bennett remained with the guests for the duration of the call. The Monkey Bus was called and asked to respond to provide the guests with a place to sit and stay warm. The Monkey Bus staff accepted and arrived on scene with two buses near the intersection of Holmes Boulevard and 65th Street.

After guests were safely evacuated, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) brought in their K-9 lieutenant and two other members of the bomb squad, who did a search of the property and declared it “all clear.” There were no signs of explosives detected, and
it was determined the incident was a false threat. Security cameras located around the property also yielded nothing suspicious. Police have no suspect at this time, and no arrest has been made or charges filed against any individual.

Former Holmes Beach commissioner arrested for domestic battery

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – A call to police resulted in the arrest of a former Holmes Beach city commissioner after an altercation at his home.

The incident happened on Oct. 13 when Mauri Zaccagnino called police in reference to a fight with her husband, former Holmes Beach Commissioner David Zaccagnino, 52.

Officers Chris Bennett and Ryan Welch responded to the Zaccagnino residence in Holmes Beach to get statements from both parties.

Former Holmes Beach commissioner arrested for domestic battery
Zaccagnino

“Mrs. Zaccagnino made contact with us outside the residence a couple houses down the street, and advised that she had called,” Bennett wrote in his report. “She stated that the two of them were cleaning out a closet to place things in storage in the attic and began arguing over what was going to be placed where, when Mr. Zaccagnino intentionally pushed her with open hands off a step stool she was standing on.”

Bennett’s report goes on to say that Zaccagnino began to throw items, but not at his wife, and kicked the stool at her.

While police say she was visibly shaken and crying during their interview, she admitted there were no physical injuries, and an examination of her arms and face showed no signs of injuries to the officers.

Zaccagnino told police his wife had been badgering him, and corroborated the statement his wife made regarding the argument about what to put in storage. He went on to say that he walked away, at which time she followed him and continued to badger him, according to the report. Zaccagnino also denied pushing his wife off the stool, stating he was actually the one who had been standing on the stool during the argument.

After interviewing both parties, police handcuffed Zaccagnino, arrested him for misdemeanor domestic battery and transferred him to Manatee County Jail, where he was released on $500 bond the next day.

If convicted, he faces up to a year in jail and up to a $1,000 fine for the first-degree misdemeanor offense.

Police searching for driver after 100 mph beach pursuit

Police searching for driver after 100 mph beach pursuit

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Despite multiple police departments, a helicopter and a K9 unit, a suspect remains at large after a high-speed pursuit on Oct. 15 ended with an SUV crashing into the Gulf of Mexico.

The encounter began as Holmes Beach police observed headlights driving on the beach around 2 a.m. and began to pursue the vehicle. Police believe the vehicle drove onto the beach in Anna Maria, but the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, which patrols Anna Maria, was not yet involved in the chase.

According to a report filed by Bradenton Beach Police Officer Devon Straight, the Chevrolet SUV was driving on the beach at such a high rate of speed that Holmes Beach officers in pursuit lost sight of the vehicle. Straight was monitoring the radio, realizing the vehicle would soon enter into his jurisdiction.

“While on scene at Via Roma, I observed a pair of headlights on the beach quickly approaching. The truck then passed by me at a dangerously high rate of speed, at which time I made my way back to my patrol car and attempted to catch up to the vehicle,” Straight said in his report.

After activating his lights and siren, Straight pursued the SUV on Gulf Drive before entering the beach at the beach access in the 1300 block of Gulf Drive. Even though the vehicle could only continue down the beach or cross back over to Gulf Drive at some point, stopping the fleeing truck and arresting the driver would prove to be incredibly difficult.

“The truck appeared to be traveling approximately 100 mph down the beach, and it stayed at least 15 blocks ahead of me,” Straight said. “I then lost visual on the truck around the 300 block of Gulf Drive South, believing it had possibly gotten back on Gulf Drive or had blacked out their headlights.”

Straight then left the beach and got back on Gulf Drive heading southbound towards Coquina Beach, attempting to get a visual on the vehicle. After about 10 minutes of searching, witnesses that were fishing in the area said they saw the vehicle driving recklessly on Coquina Beach, according to the report.

Straight then returned to the beach in his patrol car and continued to Longboat Pass, following the tire tracks of the suspect vehicle, which he found located more than 15 feet off the beach partially submerged in the Gulf of Mexico.

“I notified dispatch of my location and called out perimeter positions for responding units,” Straight said. “I then held the vehicle at gunpoint until a Holmes Beach officer arrived and we confirmed the vehicle was unoccupied.”

A possible suspect was detained at the scene and released because police were unable to positively link him to the vehicle at the time.

The search for the driver of the SUV intensified as the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office assisted with a K9 unit and a helicopter. The K9 alerted to a man crossing over the Longboat Key Bridge into the town of Longboat Key.

The driver was described as a Hispanic male in a camouflage long-sleeved shirt. Witnesses fishing on the bridge said someone matching that description crossed the bridge on foot shortly after the crash, complaining of a back injury, confirming the escape route the K9 unit detected. The witnesses also had an answer for how the vehicle managed to end up so far out in the water, saying it hit the rock jetty at a high rate of speed, went airborne and landed in the water.

The vehicle was towed from the scene by Bullet Towing about three hours after landing in the water, at which point a full inventory search of the vehicle was conducted by police, who say multiple alcohol containers were found, along with personal belongings of the driver. Bradenton Beach police say that a man matching the name of the suspected driver called them to report the vehicle stolen in the following days. The suspect was told the vehicle had been involved in a crash, hoping he would come to the station to answer questions, but he didn’t, and further efforts to contact him have been unsuccessful.

The suspect vehicle’s path was back-tracked to look for any damage the rampage may have caused. Police found that a small wooden fence and hitching post by lifeguard stand #8 was obliterated in the sand with vehicle parts from the suspect vehicle scattered around it. Two signs that were posted on the Coquina Beach south jetty had also been run over. Police say it could have been much worse and were thankful nobody was taking a late-night walk on the beach when the incident occurred.

A hit-and-run crash report remains open as police continue to try to locate the suspect. Additional charges will most likely be added when and if he is captured. These could include attempting to elude police, statutes that ban driving vehicles on Florida beaches where it is not expressly permitted, leaving the scene of a crash and possibly more. Bradenton Beach police are not commenting at this time on exactly what charges will be filed if they make an arrest, but say it was a serious and dangerous incident that they are hopeful will result in an arrest.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at 941- 778-6311.

County leaders refuse to increase police beach funding

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – A request for funding to the city’s police department to help cover the expense of beach patrols was approved by Manatee County leaders, but the approved amount wasn’t as much as city leaders hoped for.

During an Oct. 11 commission meeting, Holmes Beach Police Department (HBPD) Chief Bill Tokajer said that $46,412 had been offered to the city as compensation for officers patrolling the county-owned Manatee Beach and Kingfish Boat Ramp. While the amount is the same as was given to the department the previous year, it didn’t include the increase that city leaders were hoping for.

Tokajer said that the funding doesn’t come close to covering the more than $250,000
per year in manpower and other costs officers have documented and presented to county commissioners in the past. He said he’d spoken to Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes and was told that despite delays to the project, city leaders were being blamed for the loss of grant funding for renovations at Kingfish Boat Ramp and, as a result, no increases in police funding were being considered.

Mayor Judy Titsworth said with increases in costs over the past year, the county offering the same amount of money as in the previous fiscal year was actually defunding the patrols.

The issue of funding for HBPD patrols of county properties is the latest chapter in a list of ongoing problems between the city and county.

Utilities turnoff questioned

As Manatee County prepared for impacts from Hurricane Ian and evacuations were called for on Anna Maria Island, county leaders announced that water would be turned off to the Island the afternoon prior to the anticipated arrival of the storm. Tokajer said in a statement that he had called county officials to ask them to delay the turn off of water and sewer utilities to allow those services to continue for first responders who would not yet be evacuating.

During a Sept. 27 press conference about the storm and evacuation process, Hopes claimed that Tokajer had contacted him to request utility services remain on for residents who weren’t evacuating. Hopes went on to state that he would not be extending the time for the utility turnoff because he didn’t want to risk damage to the county’s utility infrastructure. Hopes also urged residents to take the storm and evacuation orders seriously.

A week after the storm passed, Titsworth issued a statement on Oct. 5 through the HBPD’s social media page stating how proud she was of city staff for their assistance to residents and property owners before and after the hurricane. She also publicly commend- ed the city’s residents for heeding the evacuation orders and leaving prior to the storm. During a Sept. 27 commission meeting, city leaders had even joked that the storm had fixed the traffic problems on the Island due to so many people evacuating.

Kingfish defunding questioned

The battle over utility turn-offs prior to Hurricane Ian was preceded by disagreements over why county officials were forced to return grant funds for planned Kingfish renovations. Hopes and county commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge both stated during public meetings that the renovation plans had to be abandoned because permits were being held up in the city’s building department. Hopes said the permits Department of Environmental Protection couldn’t be extended another time. County staff members also noted during a commission meeting that the grant funds couldn’t be extended either.

Titsworth said in a city commission meeting that the city doesn’t have the power to hold up permits, nor had that happened in the case of Kingfish. She added that the city’s building department staff had been working with county members for months to get the permits approved and continued working on the permit applications after being told by county leaders that the project would be put on hold.

Issues between the city and county stem back to when Van Ostenbridge first took
the dais and demanded that Titsworth and city commissioners end their resident-only permit parking program near the beach and allow public on-street parking for beachgoers throughout the city. City leaders refused to change their stance on public parking on residential streets, stating that Holmes Beach has more public parking spaces than the other two Island cities and that they won’t sacrifice residents’ quality of life.

Letter to the Editor: Setting the record straight

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Feature, Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

I’d like to set the record straight.

In the attached TikTok link you will see Dr. Hopes publicly shaming Holmes Beach residents and myself for asking for the water to be left on for our residents who wanted to remain on the island, accusing us of not taking Hurricane Ian seriously—stating that our residents were jeopardizing the water infrastructure for the entire county.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The county administrator is the one person the Island residents, county residents and municipal leaders should be able to look towards for the facts. Especially during a storm event.

I did call Dr. Hopes I asked that he revisit the order to turn off the water to the island on Tuesday at 6 pm for the Safety of First Responders. Dr. Hopes stated he was on the way to a meeting at the EOC and would discuss and call me back.

I did not make the request because I wanted water for our residents who refused to leave, but because our First Responders, the Holmes Beach Police, Manatee Sheriff’s Department,  West Manatee Fire and Bradenton Beach Police would not be leaving the island until the wind was too dangerous, which at the time of the phone call was not expected till mid-morning Wednesday.

Mayor Titsworth had the same conversation with Commissioner VanOstenbridge, telling him of the first responder, police and fire needs, telling him the island looks deserted because people are taking this seriously and evacuating.

When asked about the evacuation by Dr. Hopes, I advised him that we have clearly put out the message of the mandatory evacuation and the dangers of staying and that most of our residents had taken heed to the warnings, but we will always have a few hold outs that don’t leave.

As Island leaders we could not be prouder of our residents, business and property owners as they took Hurricane Ian very seriously, sandbagging, boarding up businesses and residences and coming to the city hall and police department to get over 1,100 re-entry tags for those who were evacuating to be able to return.

 

William L. Tokajer
Chief of Police
Holmes Beach Police Department