The following are actual police reports as written by Longboat Key Police Officers. They are edited for length, punctuation and to protect privacy.
July 4
Fishing
10:26 a.m.
Officer Troyer was dispatched to the 3800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive on the report of a suspicious person. The complainant reported a couple fishing at the condominium dock and were not residents. While enroute, Officer Troyer called the complainant by phone and she said the same couple had been warned before and he was requesting the couple leave the property. The complainant identified himself as a board member of the condominium. He also did not wish to meet or sign a trespass warning and only wanted them to leave the property. Upon arrival, Officer Troyer made contact with a couple who said they were residents and had permission to be fishing at the dock. The woman said she had a friend who lived there and gave them permission to fish. Officer Troyer informed the couple that one of the board members did not want them on the property and the property was marked by signs indicating no trespassing. Officer Troyer asked them for their IDs, which they provided and asked them to leave on behalf of the complainant. The couple did not want any issues and left the area without incident. Case clear.
Drug case
11:16 a.m.
Officer Butler while on patrol, received a license plate reader on a northbound vehicle on Bay Isles Parkway. The alert was for the registered owner having a suspended Driver’s License. An FCIC/NCIC search was conducted and confirmed the registered owner was suspended. The vehicle was located and a traffic stop was conducted at the 5700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive. The driver was the registered owner and gave his driver’s license. The driver stated he unknowingly operated the vehicle and the suspension was due to not paying child support. During the traffic stop the supervisor immediately smelled the odor of raw marijuana emanating from inside the vehicle. Officer Butler asked the driver if he possessed marijuana and he stated ‘yes’ and handed the officer a brown plastic bag with a leafy green substance. The man confirmed this was marijuana and did not provide a medical marijuana card. Officer Butler took possession of the alleged marijuana and conducted a field test which confirmed the substance was marijuana. Officer Butler then weighed the alleged marijuana at the scene and the bag weight showed 27.84 grams. The driver was taken into custody and charged with marijuana possession over 20 grams which was a third-degree felony. He was issued a UTC for driving with license without knowledge. He was transported to Manatee Sheriff’s Office Jail. Case clear.
Disturbance
11:39 p.m.
Officer Troyer was dispatched to a hotel on a report of a disturbance. The caller reported a disturbance between a man and woman. While enroute, the caller reported the two left in a white Jeep. Upon arrival, Sgt. Montfort and Officer Troyer met with the bar manager. The manager reported four women who were at the bar, were located in the bathroom visually intoxicated. When they returned, the bartender stopped serving the women alcohol and this upset the women and an argument ensued. More so, two more individuals got involved and the parties accused the bartenders of being racist. Overall, no threats were reported and the subjects left the area and did not come back. The man was informed the call back if the group returns to have them formally trespassed. Case clear.
July 5
Vehicle
1:11 a.m.
Officer Troyer while on patrol observed a silver Toyota Corolla parked in the parking lot at Public and appeared to be running with someone asleep in the vehicle. Officer troyer spoke with the occupants who reported they were sleeping after being on the beach and avoiding the rain. The occupants were from out of town. While speaking with them, Officer Troyer observed the odor of alcohol emit from the vehicle slightly and the driver had bloodshot eyes. The driver reported he had a few beers but quit drinking around 6 p.m. Officer Troyer asked the driver who said he would be willing to conduct a sobriety test due to the observations by the officer. Officer Troyer did not observe sufficient indication of impairment from the driver as a results of the investigation. Case clear.
July 6
Cat
12:15 a.m.
Sgt. Montfort responded to the 5500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive for a report of a cat locked in a motor vehicle with the vehicle running. Sgt. Montfort arrived on scene and it was determined no animal was in the vehicle and due to a language barrier, the registered owner just locked the keys in the vehicle. Sgt. Montfort advised the owner that per policy, Longboat Key Police Department does not conduct vehicle lockouts. Case clear.
Incident
4:11 p.m.
Officer Pescuma was dispatched to the 3400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive in reference to a three foot by four-foot hole on the beach. The caller was concerned of someone falling in. The caller stated it was already there when they arrived. Upon arriving on scene, Officer Pescuma located the hole and filled it in with sand. Case clear.
July 7
Highway
1:08 p.m.
Officer Martinson observed a chlorine container fall off of a moving pool cleaning truck in the 2100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive. The chlorine container came to a rest in the middle of southbound traffic causing vehicles to slow down and swerve around it. Officer Martinson pulled up alongside the chlorine container and put it in the trunk of the squad car and he will dispose of it at a later time. Case clear.
Citizen assist
2:20 p.m.
Officer Ericsson while on marine patrol in the area of Jewfish Key, observed a distressed woman hanging onto an inflatable kayak, treading water, near the sand bar. Upon approaching the woman, she advised she kayaked out to the sand bar. Upon approaching the woman she advised she kayaked out to the sand bar and was unable to get back to the boat launch due to the current and wind. She was clearly fatigued and in need of assistance, but refused medical assistance. Officer Barrett and Officer Ericsson assisted the woman and kayak into the vessel and transported them to the Linley Street boat dock where she was parked. Case clear.
July 9
Citizen assist
4:33 p.m.
Officer Ericsson was dispatched to Fair Oaks Place on a found property involving a sailboat on its side in teh bay behind the caller’s house. Upon arrival, Officer Ericsson contacted the homeowner who stated they noticed a white sailboat caught on a sandbar behind their house. The homeowner stated they left their house in the morning and the sailboat was not there. When they returned home, they noticed the boat obviously stuck on the sandbar and partially on its side. Officer Ericsson’s investigation revealed a white sailboat with the name ‘Wind Dancer’ ensnared in an apparent sandbar behind the house. The sailboat appeared to be derelict. The hatch was open and the wails were down. There appeared to be no people on board. The hull number was unreadable from the land. Three pictures were taken and uploaded to this report. The marine unit was notified while on scene.
Citizen
11:11 p.m.
Officer Mathis was assisting Officer Troyer on a traffic stop when he observed a vehicle stop in the roadway while traveling south on Gulf of Mexico Drive. Officer Mathis made contact with the driver who said that he was traveling to Miami and was lost. He advised that he was traveling to Miami and was lost at the moment and that he was from Haiti and his cellphone did not work in the U.S. and he flew in to see family and somehow got lost going from Fort Myers to Miami. Officer Mathis spoke with the driver and Sgt. Montfort printed out directions to the Miami International Airport. The driver was given the directions and felt confident he could follow them. The complainant was given the directions and felt confident he would follow them.
July 10
Suspicious
6:08 p.m.
Officer Ericsson responded to the 4200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive on a suspicious vehicle involving a vehicle in the church parking lot. Upon arrival, Officer Ericsson contacted the man who said he got a flat tire and was waiting on an Uber to come pick him up. He said he was going to get his father along with tools to fix his tire. Officer Ericsson advised him of the laws regarding leaving his vehicle parked in a private lot and the risk of being towed, especially if he does not return in a timely manner. A check of the vehicle’s license revealed it to belong to the father. The registration belonged to the vehicle and was not listed as abandoned or stolen. Case clear.
