police blotter

Bainbridge Police reported the following incidents:

JULY 17

11:06 a.m. Police assisted aid at a Rockaway Beach residence where two painters had been injured in a scaffolding collapse. They had been on separate ladders, braced on a plank running from a fence to a “ladderjack.” The plank collapsed, dropping the painters 20 feet to the ground. Both were hospitalized.

4:47 p.m. A resident of Palomino Drive reported that someone had fraudulently attempted to use his Visa card number to make $800 in online purchases from Wal-Mart and Barnes and Noble. The charges were canceled. Police ascertained that a Florida shipping address had been entered for the Barnes and Noble purchases. Police ended their investigation but the case was forwarded to the Visa fraud department.

9:54 p.m. A taxi driver turned over a wallet found near a pay phone at the ferry terminal. Several debit cards, two driver’s licenses and $42 were found in the wallet. The wallet’s owner could not be located. It was placed into evidence for safekeeping.

10:38 p.m. Officers patrolling Pritchard Park for after-hours visitors detained a girl encountered walking on a trail. The girl was soon joined by five other juveniles who were subsequently detained for being in the park after hours. The youths said they were home for the summer and simply hanging out. They said they were the only visitors on the beach. They were escorted to their vehicles and released. However, after the juveniles departed two baggies containing marijuana remnants were found on the ground near where the youths had been contacted. A K-9 unit was called in, and another bag of marijuana was found buried on the beach, with a granola bar sticking out of the sand as a marker. Three of the youths were recontacted but denied knowledge of the marijuana. A report was forwarded to prosecutors for possible charging.

JULY 18

2:13 a.m. An officer once again patrolling the Pritchard Park parking lot observed a vehicle enter the lot, but exit quickly after nearing the patrol car. The officer followed in a patrol car and stopped the vehicle on Taylor Avenue after it failed to signal a turn. The officer contacted the 17-year-old driver who was visibly shaking and smelled faintly of marijuana. Based on the smell, the officer requested to search the vehicle but was denied by the driver. A second officer observed a case of Miller beer in the car’s back seat. The driver was arrested for minor in possession of alcohol and a subsequent search of the vehicle showed that five cans were missing from the 30-pack of Miller, and a 40-ounce bottle of Olde English malt liquor was also found. The driver did not appear to have been drinking and no marijuana was found in the car, though an incense candle with a similar odor was discovered. He was cited for minor in possession and released to his father.

8:27 a.m. An employee of a Bainbridge business reported that she had been receiving harassing calls at work and at her home in Silverdale from a caller in Jamaica. The caller had threatened her several times saying he “Could take her out with one phone call” and that he knew where she lived and would shoot her. In the most recent call he said he was in Iraq. Police advised the woman to watch for the number on her caller ID and not answer when it called, and to request the phone company block calls from the number. The woman had already reported the harassment to the Kitsap County Sheriff.

9:49 a.m. A Kingston woman came to the station to report a road rage incident. She had been driving in downtown Poulsbo when a man in a Toyota Tacoma leaned out of his window and began swearing at her, and telling her that she shouldn’t be talking on her cell phone. The man followed her onto southbound SR-305, where he pulled alongside her Mercedes, honked his horn, yelled obscenities and tried to run her out of her lane. The man followed her onto Bainbridge, while continually making obscene hand gestures. He flipped her off and waved one last time before turning off on High School Road. The woman reported the man’s license plate number and asked that criminal charges be filed. The man was found to be a Bremerton resident. The case was forwarded to State Patrol for investigation.

10:14 a.m. A resident reported that her Visa card number was fraudulently used for $358 in purchases with Ryan Air International. The charges were stopped. The case was recorded.

JULY 19

8:51 a.m. A Yeomalt Cabin restoration volunteer discovered that a padlock had been cut from a cyclone fence surrounding building materials at the park. Nothing appeared to be missing from inside the fenced area. No suspects.

10:22 a.m. A Suquamish driver was stopped on on Sportsman Club Road and cited for driving with a suspended license.

11:17 p.m. An air traffic controller reported that a green laser had been pointed into the cockpit of a medical helicopter as it flew in the area of Fort Ward and Restoration Point. Police searched the area for suspicious activity with no result. A report was forwarded to the Federal Aviation Administration.

JULY 20

9:10 p.m. A Finch Place resident told police that someone had stolen two pairs of prescription glasses from her purse. She believed the theft had taken place in her residence the previous night while she was asleep. There were no signs of forced entry at her apartment, and she was not sure how a suspect gained entry. The glasses had bronze frames with tortoise shell arms and dark lenses. They were a special order and valued at $900.

JULY 21

9:56 a.m. An attempted break in was reported at the Transmitter Building at Battle Point Park. Several hinges had been removed from one of the main entrance doors. Entry had not been gained to the building and no other entrances were disturbed. No suspects.

10:40 a.m. A man said his cell phone had been stolen from his vehicle, while it was parked at Safeway. He said he had placed his cell phone and cell phone charger on the roof of his car when he arrived at the store, then forgotten about them and walked inside. When he returned to the car the items were missing. The phone, a T-Mobile “wing phone,” was valued at $520. No suspects.

2:41 p.m. A Canon EOS Digital Rebel camera was found at Battle Point Park and turned in to the station. Photos on its memory card were of a family celebrating Christmas, a child’s birthday party and of a family vacation on the coast. The camera was entered into storage for safe keeping.

6:31 p.m. A citizen at the Point White Dock reported two boys drinking alcohol on the dock. A girl was with them, but not drinking. When an officer arrived at the dock, the citizen said the juveniles had already driven away in a silver Volvo. The officer caught up to the group at the Pavilion. They denied having been drinking. The officer called the witness, who described the youths accurately over the phone, and said she would testify against them. The officer informed the youths they were being charged and released them. Back at Point White the officer found several cans of Red Dog beer in a trash can. The case was forwarded to prosecutors for charging.

JULY 22

1:30 a.m. Police and fire responded to a Battle Point residence where a girl was reportedly very sick after having consumed hard alcohol. When officers arrived the girl was laying on the floor vomiting into a large mixing bowl. The girl’s mother said she had been awakened by the sound of someone falling downstairs and had called 911. She went downstairs and found her daughter very sick. Her daughter said she had been at Battle Point Park drinking with some older boys. The girl told officers they had been drinking vodka, and that one boy had dropped her at home. The girl was taken to a medical center. The mother was asked to speak with her daughter about who had supplied her with alcohol, and to contact police with any further information.