The following were taken from actual incident reports filed last week by the City of Folly Beach Public Safety Department. These are not convictions and the names of businesses, complainants, and suspects have been left off to protect the innocent. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty, of course.
May Day
Self-Busting
The Responding Officer (R/O) was on routine patrol along Folly Road around 2 a.m. when he pulled over a 57-year-old man for speeding. The officer asked for the man’s license and as the subject was pulling it out of his left pocket, a plastic bag containing about two grams of marijuana came out of the pocket too. The officer told the man to hand him the license and the bag, and asked him if he had any other drugs in the car, which he said he didn’t. The officer ran the subject’s license, which came back clean, then issued the man a ticket for Simple Possession.
Cinco de Mayo
Fair Warning?
The R/O was on patrol on Folly Road around 1:30 p.m. when he saw an SUV coming onto the island that appeared to be speeding. Clocking the vehicle at 49 mph, the officer initiated a traffic stop. The officer approached the vehicle, which contained two 18-year-olds and a 25-year-old. As he did so, he smelled marijuana. The driver was removed to the rear of the vehicle and interviewed about the marijuana. She stated there was some in one of her passenger’s purse, that there was a glass bowl in her purse and another in the center console, and that she didn’t know if there was any more weed in the car. The officer located about 4.5 grams of marijuana in various places throughout the car, and found the paraphernalia as well. He also located a fake ID, which one of the 18-year-old passengers admitted was hers. The officer confiscated the contraband and issued citations to two of the women for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, then sent them on their way.
Wednesday, May 6
Angry Young Man
The R/O was dispatched to the beach near the Folly Pier around 3:45 p.m. in reference to a complaint about an intoxicated man. Upon arrival, a witness pointed out the 20-year-old subject, who appeared to be lying facedown in the water. The officer asked the man to get out of the water and come to him, which he did. The subject was ID’d as a Johns Island resident by his driver’s license, and complained of being harassed by police every time he comes to the beach. The officer asked where the man lived and how he was getting home, and he said Johns Island and his grandpa was picking him up. As they walked towards the subject’s belongings, the man said he lived at a beachfront house and, pointing towards houses, said he lived there, but he could not state a valid address.
At this point the subject became verbally aggressive towards the officer, cursing at him and giving him the finger. He then tried to walk away, then ran towards the deck of The Tides hotel. The R/O chased him down and took him to the floor on the deck. The subject continued to resist arrest, but backup had arrived and subdued the man with the help of a baton. After he was cuffed, the subject continued to try to escape. Officers ended up dragging him to a patrol car because he refused to walk.
In the car, the subject began banging his head against the backseat cage and windows. The officers decided to further restrain the man by switching the type of handcuffs used.
At this point, the subject grabbed the cuffs and refused to let go until the officers tased him in the forearm, after which he was compliant and restrained. An ambulance was called in to check the man for injuries, ending up transporting the man to MUSC. An officer waited with the subject, who was restrained in the hospital bed until he could be checked for injuries and the state of his mental health. He was issued citations for Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest.
Friday, May 8
Blown Away with Cleanliness
The R/O was dispatched to a Second Street residence around 8:25 p.m. in reference to a Noise Complaint. Upon arrival, he met with a 61-year-old male who complained his neighbor had been leaf blowing his yard at 8 p.m. The officer did not observe any such activity on scene. While speaking to the complainant, another 49-year-old male neighbor walked up and complained about the same thing.
They were advised the subject has already been cited for such activity and has a jury trial pending. The officer also said running a leaf blower between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. did not necessarily violate any noise ordinances. At some point, the 31-year-old subject came out of his house and began shouting at his neighbors. The parties were separated and interviewed individually.
The R/O told the complainants to record the incidents in the future for reference. The officer then told the subject that repeated complaints about such activity would likely result in another citation, and that he should try to find some common ground with his neighbors, who alleged the subject ran the leaf blower at all hours of the day, several times per day, and blew debris into the neighbor’s yard.
The subject said these statements were false, especially since the previous incident where he was cited, and that he felt it was his right to leaf blow whenever he wished during normal business hours.
Mother’s Day
The Worst Mother’s Day Present
Officers were dispatched to the lobby of The Tides hotel around 7 p.m. in reference to an intoxicated female trying to start fights with patrons and staff members. Upon arrival, the officers found the 26-year-old woman highly intoxicated, covered in sand and bleeding from a small cut on her foot. The subject declined medical assistance and stated she felt nervous at the presence of the police. The R/O told her they were concerned about her well being, and simply wanted to get her home safely. Asked if there was someone who could pick her up, the subject gave her sister’s contact info. Officers were unsuccessful in making contact with the sister and asked if there was someone else they could call like her mother. The subject yelled, “it’s f****** nice you want to give my mom a heart attack on Mother’s Day!” Officers told her she could not be cursing loudly in public as there were children present, and if they couldn’t get her a ride, she would be arrested for Public Intoxication. The subject responded, “then just f****** take me to jail then.” Officers again advised her to not use foul language. At this point, the subject’s sister called and said she was on her way from James Island. Fifteen minutes later, the sister arrived and took custody of the subject. The woman was issued a citation for Public Intoxication and given a court date.
Sunday, May 17
Fit For the Scrapper
The R/O was dispatched to an island bike rental agency around 10 a.m. in reference to some stolen bikes. Upon arrival, he met with the business owner who said three beach cruisers had been stolen. The bikes had been rented to a vacationing female, who had called the bike rental place and told them this story: she was packing up to leave that morning and noticed a black male, possibly in his late 60s, standing next to a pickup truck parked in front of the house. The woman asked if the man was there to pick up the bikes, to which he replied, “yes.” The witness said the man then picked up the bikes, loaded them into his truck and left. The witness recalled the truck was gray in color and had the words “Scrap Metal” written on the side. No further information was available.
