Holiday steps up business for law enforcement
The July 4 holiday weekend kept Island police departments hopping. Among the towns, the Oak Bluffs Police Department topped the list for the most calls.
Oak Bluffs Police Chief Erik Blake. Photo by Nelson Sigelman
Oak Bluffs police made seven arrests and took eight people into protective custody from Friday through Sunday, while answering 148 calls.
An assault and robbery of two victims on the beach and a motor vehicle accident that almost involved Oak Bluffs Police Chief Erik Blake were among incidents highlighted in a weekend log summary by Sgt. Michael Marchand.
The alleged assault and robbery occurred on the town beach across from Ocean Park on July 4 at 10:30 pm. While responding to an unrelated call on Seaview Avenue, Oak Bluffs bicycle patrol officers saw a man on the beach knock another young man to the ground. As they approached the scene, two men fled in different directions on foot.
The patrol officers found two victims, including one young man who had been knocked unconscious for about 10 minutes and another who had been struck with a large rock and suffered a serious facial injury. Both victims had their wallets, cell phones, and cash taken from them.
Sgt. Marchand said the incident was a random act of violence and the alleged assailants did not know their victims.
"Our guys did a real good job on that case," Lt. Timothy Williamson said in a phone call Monday. "They found out the possible suspects were going to leave Sunday on the fast ferry to Rhode Island, waited for the morning ferry and interviewed them, and then subsequently arrested them."
Oak Bluffs police arrested Alex Daignault, age 19, and Trevor Bryn, age 18, both of Bethel, Conn. Charges applied for against Mr. Daignault included unarmed robbery, assault and battery causing serious personal injury, and assault and battery. Mr. Bryn's charges included armed robbery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (the rock), and assault and battery causing serious personal injury.
In a second incident near Ocean Park at 11:50 pm Saturday night, Chief Blake was driving an unmarked police cruiser on patrol on Seaview Avenue near Farm Park Road and was forced to drive onto the road's shoulder when an oncoming vehicle swerved into his lane.
Chief Blake turned the cruiser around to pursue the car, and signaled the driver to pull over near Ocean Park. Before coming to a stop, the driver struck an occupied parked car with his vehicle, and then struck a second car, pushing it into a third vehicle. There were no injuries.
The driver, Bruce Sanders, age 51, of Oak Bluffs was subsequently arrested on charges of operating under the influence (liquor), negligent operation, and wanton destruction of personal property over $250.
Among other weekend incidents, Oak Bluffs police officers responded to the Sand Bar and Grill on the harbor at around 10 pm Friday night, where Brendan Smith-Heafy, 22, of Burlington, Vt., allegedly punched and smashed the face of an antique ceramic statue of Elvis Presley. Police officers arrested Mr. Smith-Heafy and applied for charges of malicious destruction of property over $250.
About 45 minutes later, Oak Bluffs police officers arrested Samuel Kistler, 47, of Edgartown, after U.S. Coast Guard personnel brought him to the Oak Bluffs harbormaster's office on suspicion of boating under the influence of alcohol.
Tisbury
In Tisbury, Interim Chief Daniel Hanavan reported two break-ins that occurred at Main Street businesses. On Thursday, July 2, Le Grenier owner Jean Dupon discovered someone had kicked in his restaurant's door when he arrived at 7 am. Nothing of value was stolen.
A second break-in occurred on Friday, July 3, at 1 am at Leslie's Drug Store, triggering an alarm. Although Tisbury police officers responded quickly, Chief Hanavan said whoever gained entry into the building was gone. Some filled prescriptions and other prescription drugs were taken
The incident is under investigation. If anyone has information about the break-in, call the Tisbury Police Department at 508-696-4240.
On Saturday, July 4, Tisbury Police Officer Dustin Shaw arrested two drivers on charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol (OUI), negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and marked lanes violations. Nathan Larsen, age 22, of West Tisbury, was arrested at 1:35 am, and Michael Zolla, age 32, of Boston, at 3:43 am.
Chief Hanavan said there were a few noise complaints in Tisbury but no problems with fireworks. He praised traffic officers for doing a good job handling busy weekend traffic at Five Corners and around the Steamship Authority terminal.
Edgartown
Edgartown Police Sergeant Kenneth Johnson said that his department received 88 calls during the busy July Fourth weekend, the majority involving minor motor vehicle accidents, noise complaints, and reports of stolen bicycles.
"Bikes are getting stolen left and right," Sgt. Johnson said. "The best thing is for people to just get a lock."
Edgartown police arrested Richard McCalla, age 34, of Waltham at 3:30 am on July 3 and Edward Gillies, age 19, of Tisbury, on July 5 on OUI charges, Sgt. Johnson said. On July 4, police officers arrested Sarah Neubert of West Tisbury after responding to a report of alleged domestic assault on a boat in Edgartown Harbor.
Edgartown police also placed a total of seven individuals in protective custody over the weekend.
Up-Island
Among the up-Island towns, the West Tisbury police department had the busiest holiday weekend. Sergeant Dan Rossi said the department's 70 calls included "lots of traffic control violations," an incident of alleged domestic violence, a motor vehicle accident, and a noise complaint.
Although there were no noise or fireworks complaints in Aquinnah, Police Chief Randhi Belain said motor vehicle stops to give verbal warnings about speeding kept Aquinnah police officers busy over the holiday weekend. Traffic was busy at the cliffs and on the beaches, he added.
Chief Belain said Aquinnah police arrested Jeffrey Lynch, age 26, at 11:30 pm on July 4 on charges of OUI, operating to endanger, possessing an open container in the vehicle, and marked lanes violation.
In Chilmark, Police Chief Brian Cioffi said his first holiday weekend since assuming his new role as chief on July 1 was a quiet one. "No arrests and no noise complaints," he said. "The fourth is typically quiet here because all the noise is down-Island."
Lauren Folino contributed reporting to this article.
