Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Cordova coho 'molested,' troopers say

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Cordova
Type: Molesting of fish
On 09-28-09, at approximately 1630 hours, Alaska Wildlife Troopers from Cordova Post contacted a 17-year-old juvenile, of Cordova, as he was shooting at a school of coho salmon in a pond next to the roadway. A .22-caliber rifle was confiscated. The case will be referred to juvenile intake in Valdez.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

The Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter, as reported by the Unalaska Advertiser:

Theft, Sept. 13 — A woman reported her vehicle had been stolen from Amelia’s Restaurant and left at the Alaska Ship Supply liquor store. Investigation revealed that an unidentified man had taken and removed her truck because it was blocking his own vehicle. The woman elected not to pursue charges because she is “old-school Dutch,” and believes the unidentified man will learn some manners if he’s in the community long enough.

Sexual assault, Sept. 13 — Captain of a fishing vessel reported a crew member may have been sexually assaulted the last time his vessel was in Unalaska. Under investigation.

Assault, Sept. 14 — A woman reported a fight in progress in front of Stormy’s Restaurant. Officers arrived to find a hysterical woman crouched next to a melodramatic man who stated first that he had been choked, and then that he had been struck with a chair and finally that he had been struck with a television, though officers observed no injuries other than a black eye. A third, rather calm man advised officers that he had struck the man on the ground twice in the face after being spit upon and pushed. Subsequent investigation revealed that the histrionic victim had likely initiated the altercation. No charges were filed.

Ambulance request, Sept. 14 — EMS personnel attended to a histrionic man who demanded an ambulance for his internal injuries.

Fisherman cited for lack of vessel number plate

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Seward
Type: No number plate, commercial vessel
On 9/17/09 Dia A. Kuzmin, 22 yoa, of Delta Junction, operator and permit holder on the F/V Automatic, was cited by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Seward Post, for failing to have a number plate aboard or attached to his vessel. Bail was set at $110.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Fisherman charged with excess ling cod bycatch

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Seward
Type: Exceed maximum bycatch
On 9/20/09 Vonifanti I. Basargin, 58 yoa, of Nikolaevsk, operator and permit holder on the F/V Eleon, was cited by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Seward Post, for possessing 67.9 percent of bycatch (ling cod) in a directed groundfish fishery when the limit is 20 percent. Proceeds from the sale of the excess fish were seized by the state. Arraignment was set in the Seward District Court on 9/29/09.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter, as reported by the Unalaska Advertiser:

Trespass, Sept. 7 — An intoxicated, problematic ex-employee intent on visiting his wife ignored requests from Westward Seafoods security to leave the premises. The man left the area after an officer advised him he would be arrested if he did not do so. The man was also advised to contact management if he wished to visit his wife again.

Suspicious person, Sept. 9 — A UniSea security officer found an intoxicated, inarticulate man asleep on the steps inside the Harborview Inn. An officer was eventually able to wake the man, who said he was a guest at the inn but had sat down before getting to his room and had promptly fallen asleep. The officer helped him back to his room.

Assist other agency, Sept. 9 — Dispatch received information regarding a distress signal sent by a hiker on a two-week journey from the south end to the north end of Unalaska Island. Unalaska Department of Public Safety coordinated with the U.S. Coast Guard, who sent a rescue helicopter to pick up the injured backpacker and his dog.

Suspicious person, Sept. 9 — Caller reported a man running and performing calisthenics in the middle of the roadway. Officers contacted the suspect, who was indeed running and otherwise exercising in the roadway.

Drunk disturbance, Sept. 9 — Harborview Bar staff requested assistance with an intoxicated patron who had been cut off but refused to leave. The patron, who stated he owned more than half of the bar, told an officer he had given the bartender $100 and had received no change, and would get the Homeland Security tapes to prove it. In spite of this, the officer advised the inebriate to leave and not return for a week, per bar management.

Theft, Sept. 12 — An intoxicated man took a cab back to his boat and told the cab driver he would return with the taxi fare. The rider subsequently disappeared onto the boat. An officer located the captain of the vessel, who agreed to pay the nearly $50 fare.

Suspicious person, Sept. 13 — One of three men fled as soon as he saw an officer approaching, scampering up some stairs and over a roof before disappearing from sight. The other two men denied a third person had ever existed, though officers later located the absquatulating individual, who said it was just a natural reaction on his part to run away from police officers.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Troopers cite Yukon River fishermen

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Lower Yukon River
Type: Commercial fishing
On 9/10/09, during Lower Yukon River game and commercial fishing patrol via state float plane, Alaska Wildlife Troopers from St. Marys issued citations to Billy Charles, 53 yoa, of Emmonak, for failing to have a CFEC permit and for employing an unlicensed crewman. A citation was also issued to Isaiah Charles, 21 yoa, of Emmonak, for failing to have a commercial crewmember license.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

The Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter, as reported by the Unalaska Advertiser:

Assist other agency, Aug. 31 — An Alaska state trooper asked an officer to take over an investigation of an assault. The officer determined that Andrew B. Knapp, 41 yoa, of Washington, had struck a crewman in the face several days earlier and had then struck the captain of the vessel when the captain told Knapp he was fired. Knapp was arrested on two counts of assault.

Ambulance request, Aug. 31 — EMS assisted a man who had possibly broken his arm after being crushed by a block of frozen fish.

DUI, Sept. 1 — Caller reported two possibly intoxicated men driving down Ulakta Road after igniting seal bombs at the top of Ballyhoo. With the help of the U.S. Coast Guard, an officer determined the suspects were crewmen aboard a USCG cutter. The matter was referred to federal authorities.

Welfare check, Sept. 4 — A very intoxicated man wanted to take his equally intoxicated friend home by placing him in a wheelbarrow and wheeling him down the street. An officer advised both drunks that it was probably not a particularly wise course of action, and instead provided transportation for the one man back to his home.

Trespass, Sept. 4 — Westward security reported a drunken man refused to leave their premises in spite of being asked to do so several times. An officer contacted the inebriate in question and told him to leave. He did.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Setnetters cited on waste, gear, crew violations

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Tsiu River
Type: Waste of salmon, gear violation
On 9/6/09 Sean P. Brownell, 44 yoa, of Haines, was cited by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Cordova Post. Brownell, the permit holder of a Tsiu River setnet site, was cited for waste by throwing chum salmon overboard and for a gear violation, setting his net over more than half of the Tsiu River. Brownell's arraignment date was set for 10/28/09 in the District Court of Cordova.

Location: Tsiu River
Type: Employing unlicensed crewmember
On 9/6/09 Jeremiah Pavlik, 29 yoa, of Yakutat, was cited by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Cordova Post. Pavlik was cited for employing Tiffany Pavlik as a crewmember on his setnet site without a current 2009 Alaska crewmembers license in her possession. Bail is set at $260 in the District Court of Cordova.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Seiner trashed in Old Harbor, suspect identified

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Old Harbor
Type: Criminal mischief
On 09-05-2009 at approximately 0926 hrs Alfred Cratty Jr, 54, of Old Harbor, phoned Alaska State Troopers and reported his fishing vessel F/V MARKELYA DAWN was damaged in excess of $7,000. AST flew to Old Harbor to investigate. AST investigation indicates that the F/V MARKELYA DAWN, a 48-foot seiner, incurred damages to the bow from striking the Old Harbor city dock. AST has identified a suspect. Alcohol was a factor in this incident.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Pebble copter helps rescue plane crash survivors

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Koliganek
Type: Aircraft crash, rescue
On 9/2/09, at approximately 1300 hours, a float plane piloted by Kirk Gay, age 65, of Anchorage, crash landed in the tundra approximately 6 miles northeast of the village of Koliganek. Gay and another fishing guide had flown two fishing clients into the area to fish on the Nushagak River from their lodge on Six Mile Lake. They were on their way back to the lodge when the aircraft's engine stalled and Gay made an emergency landing. No one was injured as a result of the crash, but the aircraft's floats were badly damaged. Using a satellite telephone, Gay was able to contact the Iliamna Air Taxi Service in Iliamna, who alerted authorities of the crash. AST Dillingham was eventually notified and an AWT aircraft and two troopers were dispatched to the scene. RCC Anchorage was also notified, along with the FAA and the NTSB. The Pebble Mine in Iliamna was contacted and they agreed to donate a helicopter from their operation to retrieve Gay and the three other members of his party. The four men were picked up by the helicopter approximately 1630 hours and they were returned the fishing lodge at 1800 hours.

Homer fisherman charged with sablefish violation

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Cook Inlet
Type: Commercial fish closed season
On 9/4/09 Steve Kalugin, 41 yoa, of Homer, was cited by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Seward Post, for taking sablefish in the Cook Inlet Management Area (North Gulf Coast) when closed by emergency order. Arraignment was set in the Seward District Court on 9/29/09.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

The Dutch Harbor report — seal bombs away!

From the local police blotter, as reported by the Unalaska Advertiser:

Welfare check, Aug. 25 — Caller reported an intoxicated man lying on the side of the road. Officers found Robert Lewan McLean, 60 yoa, of Kenai, sleeping amongst some wildflowers at that location. McLean told officers he didn’t know how he got there, but thought it was very pleasant to wake up in a field of flowers. McLean, who reeked of alcohol and tilted to one side while standing, was ultimately arrested on an outstanding warrant for failure to comply with alcohol screening.

Weapons, Aug. 25 — Dispatch received several calls regarding what may have been gunshots toward the end of Ballyhoo Road. Officers determined the noise was from seal bombs, and eventually located two drunks who admitted they had been on the hillside throwing seal bombs towards the roadway. One of the men, Erin Swinford, 26 yoa, was prohibited by court order from drinking and was arrested for violating conditions of release.

Welfare check, Aug. 27 — Officers spoke with an extremely intoxicated and urine-soaked man in front of the Harborview Inn, and determined he was still capable of caring for himself. The man took a taxi back to his vessel and officers ensured he was able to safely board same.

Found property, Aug. 28 — Seal bomb, at the airport. An officer secured the seal bomb for future destruction.

Death investigation, Aug. 28 — A man who had allegedly fallen while on board a tramper died at the clinic several hours after he was admitted. Cause of death in under investigation.