by The Editors on January 18, 2012
A Lake Michigan surfer was “taken into custody” yesterday (Tuesday, January 17, 2012) for surfing, according to a story on ABC 7 News.
Police from the Near North District and Marine Unit responded about 5 p.m. to a report of a man surfing in Lake Michigan off Oak Street Beach in the 1000 block of North Lake Shore Drive, police said. . . Beaches are closed until May 25, according to the Chicago Park District’s website. Lifeguards are not on duty and swimming is “discouraged” at all beaches.
Oh no. Call the cops. A man is surfing. In Lake Michigan for gosh sakes. Oddly, the police didn’t really know what they were going to charge the guy with, but “detectives are investigating.” Don’t they know: Surfing is not a crime.
[Link: ABC 7 News]
by The Editors on January 17, 2012
Julius Sterling Guy Fox, the 27-year-old man who allegedly hit Stephanie Gilmore with a “metal pole” will be in court February 21, 2012 for a committal hearing on charges of “wounding and intent to cause grievous bodily harm,” according to a story on News.com.au.
The four-time world champion suffered a fractured wrist, a cut to the back of her head and cuts to her hand.
She was out of the water for about six weeks after the attack at the Tweed Heads unit.
Thankfully, Fox has been in custody since being arrested for the December 2010 crime, and if he is found guilty it would be great if he stay in for the foreseeable future.
[Link: News.com.au]
by The Editors on January 4, 2012
An angry, old, British man (if that’s not redundant) is in court for allegedly knocking a 10-year-old skateboarder to the ground and kneeing him in the face after becoming upset by the noise the skateboarder was making, according to a story in The Argus.
A jury at Hove Crown Court was told yesterday (January 3) Smith was frustrated with children playing on skateboards in Brighton. . . The boy – who was with friends – suffered an eye injury. . . He also said he lost consciousness during the attack on April 26 last year.
The kid is really pretty lucky. If the same thing had happened in the US the man would have shotgunned the kid down and gotten off on probation.
[Link: The Argus]
by The Editors on November 30, 2011
A southern California man who had been repeatedly riding his skateboard down the street, falling off, and then laying in the road for minutes at a time was finally run over on Tuesday night (November 29, 2011) by a 60-year-old woman in a Toyota Tacoma, according to a story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
After one fall, he was lying in the roadway when a 60-year-old woman in a Toyota Tacoma pulled out of a driveway, turned right, and rolled over him. The CHP and paramedics were called about 5:10 p.m. The driver told officers it felt like she had gone over a speed bump, Parent said.
The 23-year-old “speed bump” was arrested “on suspicion of being under the influence of methamphetamine” then sent to a local hospital with a fractured spine and internal injuries. Luckily, it appears he was already medicated.
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on October 13, 2011
Police in Shawano, Wisconsin and closed the city’s skate park after what they call “a rash of problems there, including fights, littering and loitering,” according to a story in the Shawano Leader.
Capt. Jeff Heffernon said the closure is not permanent and the skating area could be re-opened in a week or so. In the meantime, he said, the department would welcome any community feedback on the matter.
Well, how about this, Capt. Heffernon: Why not just do your job and make sure the people causing the problems are taken care of so the good kids can roll. Or would that mean losing too much donuts and coffee time?
[Link: Shawano Leader]
by The Editors on October 3, 2011
Skateboarders don’t stand a chance with people like Dr. James G. Corasanti on the road. In July we mentioned that Dr. Corasanti had been charged in the hit-and-run death of 18-year-old skateboarder Alexandra Rice. Forasanti has now been indicted, according to a story on the Buffalonews.com.
The Getzville doctor indicted Thursday on manslaughter charges was texting while driving drunk and speeding when he fatally struck a teenager with his 2010 BMW last July in Amherst, prosecutors say. . . An Erie County grand jury also lodged evidence-tampering charges against Dr. James G. Corasanti, 56, for allegedly removing the victim’s blood and body tissue from his BMW and deleting text messages from his mobile telephone.
Laughably, Corasanti’s defense attorney has described the doctor as “a healer.” Corasanti was given $250,000 bail. If found guilty of second-degree manslaughter he could get 15 years in prison.
[Link: Buffalo News]
by The Editors on September 19, 2011
A 22-year-old Swedish skateboarder who decided to surprise his friend by building a skate ramp out of wood from the friends deck is now spending two month in jail on charges of assault, harassement, vandalism, and stealing a car, according to a story in The Local.
The man ripped wooden planks from his friend’s patio and used metal pipes to construct the ramp. . . He discovered the needed tools in his friend’s car, which was locked. He smashed through the car’s side window and grabbed the tools that were there to carry out his work. . . When his friend returned home, he found a skateboard ramp in his backyard, a torn up patio and an ax thrust into the wall of his house.
Sounds like the homeowner isn’t down with visits from the skateramp fairy.
[Link: The Local]
by The Editors on September 1, 2011
Seal Beach, California’s Inflight Surf and Sail owners got pepper sprayed on Tuesday, August 29, 2011 by a woman who returned to the store to retrieve her purse after reportedly stealing clothes from the shop, according to a story in the OC Register.
When Inflight owner Missy Scarbrough told the woman she could get her purse back when the police arrived, supect Arlene Bremner pulled out a can of pepper spray.
Missy Scarbrough said she was sprayed first, at which point her daughter ran to the second floor of the store to get Scott Scarbrough, who fought to subdue Bremner. She said the contents of the purse, including a knife, fell out as Bremner tried to get to a second can of spray.. . . “They were wrestling and everything was falling off the walls,” Scarbrough said. “My husband is pretty tall, but she was picking him up and putting up a good fight. She was very small and petite but superhuman yesterday.”
Bremner is now being charted on multiple felony counts of burglary, plus “using tear gas weapons while committing a crime.” We’re just glad the Scarbroughs are all okay. Nice work, Scott.
[Link: OC Register via LAist]
by The Editors on August 19, 2011
According to an Associated Press story in the Washington Post, Billabong is one of seven companies listed as allegedly buying products from Brazilian sweatshops that are under investigated for slave labor by Brazilian officials.
Prosecutor Nei Vieira says 51 people were found to be working in unhealthy conditions and for little pay in such a shop in the city of Americana near Sao Paulo. Authorities say they expect to find more shops.
According to the story, Billabong said they had not been notified, but they were looking into it.
[Link: Washington Post]
by The Editors on August 12, 2011
A Tacoma, Washington KeyBank was robbed yesterday (Thursday, August 11, 2011) by two people wearing “Volcom brand hooded sweatshirts that zip to the top of the head, creating a mask,” according to a story in The News Tribune.
Two people wearing masks held up the KeyBank, 1102 S. 11th St., about 9:45 a.m., police said. One robber had a gun. The employees were ordered to empty their tills and the robbers left on foot with an undisclosed amount of money.
We always wondered what those hoodies were designed for. We’re kind of surprised they didn’t go with the ninja slim.
[Link: The News Tribune]
