Hitchhiker Kai a.k.a. Caleb Lawrence McGillvary, the “home free” surfer who described himself as “straight out of Dogtown” after saving a woman’s life when the man whose car he was riding in purposely began ramming people with his car, has reportedly been arrested for murder of a New Jersey lawyer, according to a story on NBC News.

Officials believe McGillvary, 24, killed Joseph Galfy, who was found in his Clark, N.J. home on Monday, dead of blunt force trauma. Prosecutors say Galfy met McGillvary in Times Square Saturday night, and brought him back to his house to spend the night. . . They say they believe the two men had a sexual encounter.

McGillvary posted on his facebook page that he woke up in a stranger’s house “realizing that someone had drugged, raped” him. And then asked, “What would you do?” Well, not going home with a New Jersey lawyer would be a good start. But we don’t know the life Kai lives. Either way, it would seem he’s up for the celebrity trial of the summer.
[Link: NBC News]

New Zealand snowboarder Jaden Beange, 18, has received a ‘deterrent sentence for a “cowardly and offensive” act’ after stealing a camera phone and posting topless photos he found on the phone on facebook, referring to the victim of the theft as “The Slut,” according to a story in The New Zealand Herald.

The teenager appeared in the Dunedin District Court on February 27, and Judge Michael Crosbie’s reserved judgement was released this week. . . In that judgement, Beange was convicted of three charges dating from the previous year: the theft of a Samsung mobile phone, doing an indecent act with intent to assault or offend, and drink-driving.

As part of the sentence Beange will have to pay the victim $2,000 and do 600 hours of community service, which, in light of recent facebook bullying suicides, is getting off pretty easy.

[Link: New Zealand Herald]

On Monday morning at 9:17 AM, April 29, 2013 Gotcha founder and ourCaste backer Michael Tomson, 58, was reportedly arrested “on suspicion of driving under the influence and on suspicion of cocaine possession” and charged with “two felony counts of DUI and possession of a controlled substance” after getting involved in a traffic accident in Laguna Beach, California, according to the LA Times.

Tomson posted $100,000 bail and was released. . . A caller reported a traffic collision involving a 2008 Mercedes E550 and a 2008 Nissan Rogue at 9:17 a.m. Monday at Glenneyre and Calliope streets in Laguna Beach. . . Tomson, who was driving the Mercedes, was heading south on Glenneyre when he rear-ended the Nissan being driven by a 65-year-old woman from Santa Ana, police said. . . The woman was hospitalized for minor to moderate injuries.

Sounds like a bad day all around and we’re bummed for everyone involved. Luckily, no one was more seriously injured.

[Link: LA Times]

It has to be one of the downsides of having a popular brand, but two men wanted in sexual assault cases (one in LA, the other in Hawaii) were both described as “wearing a black RVCA baseball cap.” In LA:

Jason Maynard Kies, 37, is being held in lieu of $4 million bail in the Van Nuys jail after detectives arrested him while he allegedly stalked his next potential victim. . . He was described as wearing sunglasses, a black RVCA baseball cap, black shoes, gray shorts and a gray shirt during the attacks.

Meanwhile in Hawaii:

Authorities say that on Jan. 28 at around 3:25 p.m., an unidentified man touched a female minor while engaging in an indecent act on a Hele-On bus in Waimea. . .The suspect was reportedly wearing a RVCA hat and white Beats headphones with a red cord at the time.

So, the next time you see someone in a black RVCA hat, you know, keep an eye on the guy. Especially if you’re on the Big Island, because they’re still looking for that guy.

[Link: LA Times and Big Island Now]

Former Billabong CEO Matthew Perrin, 40, is back in court after pleading not guilty to defrauding the Commonwealth Bank of AUS$13.5 million, according to a story in The Australian.

It’s alleged Perrin forged his former wife Nicole Bricknell’s signature on documents, enabling him to use the value of a jointly-owned house on the Gold Coast to obtain a loan of $13.5 million from the bank in 2008.

And the saga continues. . .

[Link: The Australian]

It’s hard not to laugh, but Donald Warren Darst, 62, of Santa Cruz, California was arrested Monday, March 18, 2013 for allegedly vandalizing a stand up paddler’s vehicle, according to a story in the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

Darst was arrested after the paddleboarder called 911 Saturday reporting that his vehicle had been vandalized for the third time while parked near 38th Avenue and East Cliff Drive, said deputy April Skalland of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. . . After the second vandalism — which the man suspected was “all related” to some surfers getting territorial and not liking paddleboarders — he installed a camera on his vehicle, Skalland said. . . She declined to outline exactly what the camera caught, but said the vandal’s image was clear enough and that the damage Saturday consisted of deep, 6- to 8-inch scratches along one side of the vehicle.

Now, Darst (who is reportedly a retired attorney) faces felony vandalism charges and the SUPer is even more stoked on sweeping around a spot where it appears at least one person doesn’t want him to sweep. Vandalism is obviously wrong, but damn those SUP dudes can be so unbearably annoying.

[Link: Santa Cruz Sentinel]

And unnamed Spokane, Washington man allegedly attacked his neighbor with a machete and then fled into Hillyard Skateboards tearly this morning (March 13, 2013) where he holed up for seven hours while police negotiators tried to talk him into coming out, according to the Spokesman Review.

Officers called in SWAT and hostage negotiation teams. . . “For a period of time we thought there was another person in there as the suspect was actually holding up a mannequin behind a window and talking back and forth as if there was two people,” Arleth said. . . Police shot gas canisters into the business and tried to contact the man via loudspeaker. . . Arleth said they could hear the man speaking but that he never directly responded to the negotiators.

When officers finally got inside the man attempted to stab the officers with a 3-foot-long wooden spear. Spokane locals will not be surprised by the notion that police believe a controlled substance and/or mental health issues may be to blame.

[Link: Spokesman Reivew]

Barry Cavan, the Belfast man who stabbed skateboarder David “Dee” Corr to death last year over loud music, was sentenced to a life term in January 2013 has been told he will serve at least 13 years in prison, according to a story on U.TV.

Belfast Crown Court judge Mr Justice Weir told 25-year-old Barry Cavan on Wednesday that while he had a dispute with his victim David Corr over the playing of loud music, that “cannot begin to explain, never mind justify this brutal, merciless, senseless killing”. . . He emphasised to Cavan that even when he has served that minimum 13-year period, it will be up to the Parole Commissioners “if and when” he will be released and under what licence conditions.

Our thoughts are with Corr’s family and friends.

[Link: U.TV]

According to police in Phelan, California, Colin Sawyer, 20, (pictured right) allegedly rolled on his skateboard by some Girl Scouts who were selling cookies out in front of a Stater Bros. market and snatched the girls’ bag of money, according to a story on KTLA.com.

The girls were packing up after a day of cookie sales, and had left the money they earned in a bag on a table. . . According to police, a young man on a skateboard rode by and swiped the bag of money before fleeing. . . One of the Girl Scouts chased after the suspect, but fell and suffered minor scrapes.

Is there anything lower than stealing from the Girl Scout? Then again, maybe Sawyer just needed money to update that Special Blend hoodie.

[Link: KTLA]

Harley Dean, 19, and Daniel Hark, 25, (picture right) were arrested last Thursday for allegedly burglarizing the O’Neill Surf Shop in Santa Cruz, California, according to a story in the Mercury News.

Santa Cruz County sheriff’s deputies were patrolling the city of Santa Cruz when they were dispatched to the store, located at the corner of Cooper Street and Pacific Avenue, just before 1 a.m. Two people had smashed the front window of the business, stole skateboards and then fled, deputy April Skalland said.

Dean and Hark were identified by witnesses and appeared to be depicted on surveillance video. Wonder what these guys needed five skateboards for? Pool party?

[Link: Mercury News]