Monday, October 31, 2011

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Assistance rendered, Oct. 23 — Vessel captain requested officer presence when his boat docked, due to problems with a disgruntled crewman. The issues had been resolved by the time the boat made port.

Theft, Oct. 25 — Andrey Bachal, a Russian national and apparent fan of American television, was caught stealing a "Deadliest Catch" T-shirt from Alaska Ship Supply. Bachal, who insisted he had intended to pay for the shirt which he had stuffed inside his zipped-up jacket, was charged with one count of concealment of merchandise.

Theft, Oct. 25 — A woman reported that her vehicle had been stolen from her driveway, and was unable to say whether her husband might possibly be driving it. A dispatcher phoned the husband, who confirmed that he in fact was driving his wife's truck.

Disorderly conduct, Oct. 27 — A scuffle broke out between a Russian national who had been told by Immigration and Customs Enforcement that he was not allowed to leave his vessel, and a shoreside employee who attempted to prevent the man from departing. The local ICE agent was notified.

Animal, Oct. 27 — Driver reported a bald eagle had swooped in front of his car and shattered his windshield. Injuries to the eagle were not assessed.

Theft, Oct. 28 — Caller reported his debit card had been used for about $2,000 worth of fraudulent purchases. Investigation indicated that the debit card number had probably been stolen when the caller used it at an online pornography site.

Liquor law violation, Oct. 29 — Officer watched a man using paper napkins to clean vomit from a parking lot, and subsequently advised the man he was too intoxicated to return to the Harbor View bar. He agreed.

Welfare check, Oct. 29 — Harbor officer heard screams emanating from the wheelhouse of a boat docked at the small-boat harbor. An officer contacted the captain of the vessel, who said he was screaming merely because he was drunk.

Public safety, Oct. 29 — A man caught urinating in public apologized profusely after being "caught by a girl" and swore he would not make the same mistake again.

Assault, Oct. 29, 0305 hours — An intoxicated man who had been hitting on a female U.S. Coast Guard crew member all night became increasingly assertive, prompting another, male, USCG crew member to restrain the man by holding him about the neck. The terrified inebriate then fled to the cutter, which he refused to leave until police arrived and assured him of his safety. The inebriate was warned about his unwanted displays of affection.

Assault, Oct. 30, 0117 hours — A man was sucker-punched by an unidentified assailant at the Harbor View bar, causing injuries severe enough to require transport to Anchorage. Under investigation.

Ambulance request, Oct. 30, 0119 hours — EMS personnel provided care and transport to a man who had been punched in the face and lost consciousness for several minutes.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Welfare check, Oct. 18, 1240 hours — Several callers reported seeing flares in the vicinity of Captains Bay. The Ports Department confirmed a vessel was conducting tests.

Assault, Oct. 19, 0136 hours — Caller reported two men, one of whom had a bloody nose, fighting in front of the Museum of the Aleutians. Officers contacted the two men who both admitted their wrestling match had, probably due to their alcohol consumption, gotten a little out of control. Neither wished to pursue any charges.

Disorderly conduct, Oct. 19 — Captain of a vessel requested assistance removing three inebriated crew members who had been fired but refused to leave the vessel. An officer responded and helped expedite their departure.

Warrant arrest, Oct. 20 — Jonathan P. Brown was arrested on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear. He was originally charged with a commercial fishing violation.

Drunk disturbance, Oct. 20, 0209 hours — Caller reported two drunken men walking in the roadway and kicking at the tires of vehicles parked nearby. Officers spoke briefly with the two, who were both employed on a vessel docked nearby.

Ambulance request, Oct. 21 — EMS personnel provided care and transport to a patient, arriving from Akutan, with severe hand injuries.

Suspicious activity, Oct. 22, 0153 hours — A man caught urinating in public apologized profusely, and admitted to knowing there were public facilities nearby, after being contacted in flagrante delicto by an officer.

Fire response, Oct. 22, 2143 hours — EMS and fire personnel responded to the Bering Fisheries processing area after an employee reported an ammonia leak in the ice house. Approximately 500 pounds of ammonia were ventilated from the ice house. No injuries were reported.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Drinking safely

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Nushagak River
Type: Search and rescue
On 10/21/11 at approximately 2000 hours, Dillingham AST received a report that Wassillie Neketa, 41, of New Stuyahok, had called for help, reporting that his skiff was sinking somewhere on the Nushagak River, believed to be near the village of Ekwok. The Ekwok village public safety officer searched the area via skiff but did not locate Neketa. The U.S. Coast Guard deployed a rescue helicopter to the area and located Neketa approximately seven miles downriver from Ekwok in a remote cabin on the Nushagak River at approximately 0215 hours. Neketa was consuming alcohol, was in safe condition, and declined assistance.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Troopers say seiner was too near salmon stream

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Gustavus
Type: Seine within 500 yards of salmon stream
On 10/6/11 Sven Stroosma, 46, of Washington state, was cited by Hoonah Wildlife Troopers for commercial purse seining within 500 yards of a salmon stream. Troopers contacted Stroosma onboard the F/V Voyager just south of Tenakee Inlet on 7/27/11 while his power skiff was only 380 feet from the mouth of South Passage Point Creek, which is listed as an anadromous salmon stream. Stroosma is scheduled for court on 10/26/11 in Hoonah.

Petersburg shrimper accused of illegal fishing

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Petersburg
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 10/11/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers onboard the P/V Enforcer issued a summons to Otis M. Marsh, 70, of Petersburg, for operating commercial shrimp pot gear inside of Port Houghton after the area had previously closed by emergency order to commercial shrimp fishing. Arraignment is set for 10/19/11 in Juneau District Court.

Cod skipper ticketed over unlicensed crewman

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sand Point
Type: Employ unlicensed crewmember
On 10/8/11 Dutch Harbor Wildlife Troopers issued a citation to Robert Craig Starr, 47, of Kodiak, for employing an unlicensed commercial fishing crewmember onboard his Pacific cod longline vessel. The fine is $260.

Troopers make two cases in Yakutat

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Yakutat
Type: Commercial fish closed period
On 10/9/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers in Yakutat received a report that Charles Russell, 43, of Yakutat, and a male juvenile were fishing on the Tsiu River. Investigation revealed that Russell and the juvenile were commercial fishing during a closed period. They were issued summonses to appear on 10/20/11 in Yakutat District Court.

Location: Yakutat
Type: File false fish ticket
On 6/29/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers in Yakutat received a report that David Brown, 59, of Juneau, had filed a false fish ticket with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Investigation revealed that a false fish ticket was filed. On 10/14/11 Brown was served with a summons to appear on 10/20/11 in Yakutat District Court.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Trespass, Oct. 10 — Jesus S. Menchaca and Ignacio Trevino III were charged with criminal trespass when it was discovered they had returned to UniSea property after having been advised they were no longer allowed on the premises.

Drunk disturbance, Oct. 11, 0433 hours — Officers investigated a disturbance which began in one UniSea bunkroom and continued to another, involved copious amounts of alcohol and belligerence, and resulted in one laptop being broken and two men sustaining minor injuries. No charges were filed.

Ambulance request, Oct. 12, 0629 hours — EMS personnel provided care and transport to a man who had fallen in the water near City Dock.

Environmental, Oct. 14 — Caller reported a small ammonia leak, which had already been isolated and repaired, at a local processing facility.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Crews of two driftnet boats charged at Ketchikan

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Multiple violations
On 10/04/11 Jerry Scudero, 21, of Ketchikan, and Zachary Mills, 20, of Metlakatla, were cited by Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, for commercial fishing without a Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission permit, unlawful possession of commercial fish, commercial fishing in closed waters, prohibited conduct and failure to register a power vessel. Scudero and Mills were cited after the National Marine Fisheries Service observed the F/V Sophia Nicole commercial drift gillnetting in state waters without state permits. Arraignment is scheduled for 10/13/11 in Ketchikan District Court.

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Multiple violations
On 9/28/11 Richard Olin, 29, David Schwehm, 22, and Trinity Jackson, 33, all of Metlakatla, were cited by Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, for commercial fishing without a Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission permit, unlawful possession of commercial fish, commercial fishing in closed waters, prohibited conduct and failure to register a power vessel. Olin, Schwehm and Jackson were cited after the National Marine Fisheries Service observed the F/V Winter Hawk commercial drift gillnetting in state waters without state permits. Arraignment is scheduled for 11/16/11 in Ketchikan District Court.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Animal, Oct. 3 — A fox with orange plastic netting around its neck and leg was sighted at a local processing facility. Officers were unable to locate the fox and the processing plant was reminded of the effect of failing to properly dispose of garbage on wildlife.

Disorderly conduct, Oct. 5 — Jealous fighting fisherman caused a ruckus over a woman. Erik G. Valenzuela, 28, of San Jose, Calif., was charged with disorderly conduct.

Drunk disturbance, Oct. 7 — Intoxicated individual waiting to leave the island disagreed with the captain of the vessel he was staying on regarding galley hours. The disagreement escalated to involve another individual, who employed wrestling moves to quiet the hungry drunk. All parties agreed the situation was now settled.

Assault, Oct. 8 — Abubakar B. Jeylani, 31, of Unalaska, was charged with kidnapping after he entered a women's restroom and attempted to force a woman into a stall in an aggressive manner.

Unalaska radio station KUCB has more on the kidnapping case.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Cook Inlet fisherman receives court summons

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Soldotna
Type: Commercial fish closed period
On 9/29/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers issued a summons to Fedor S. Gostevskyh, 32, of Anchor Point, to appear in court on 10/28/11 for operating a commercial fishing net from the F/V Lisa Ann while in closed water on 7/11/11.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Gillnetter charged with illegal fishing at Bear River

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Bear River, Alaska Peninsula, Area M
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 9/21/10 King Salmon Wildlife Troopers received information from Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists in Port Moller that a commercial fishing violation had occurred on 9/1/10 near the mouth of the Bear River on the Alaska Peninsula. Investigation revealed that Paul A. Martushoff, 27, of Reardan, Wash., acting as skipper and permit holder aboard the F/V Orbit, commercial fished with a drift gillnet in closed waters near the mouth of the Bear River on 9/1/10. On 10/5/11 Martushoff was contacted by Alaska Wildlife Troopers at his residence in Washington via phone and interviewed. During the interview, Martushoff made statements that corroborated the ADF&G observations. Martushoff was issued a citation charging him with commercial fishing in closed waters with arraignment set for 11/15/11 in Valdez District Court.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Trespass, Sept. 27 — Local processing plant requested officers trespass an individual from the plant for 30 days.

Welfare check, Sept. 30 — A man's intoxication obscured his attempt to communicate to 911 dispatchers. Contact with another person on scene clarified that he was angry because he got fired for being drunk.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Dungeness crabber started too early, troopers say

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Haines
Type: Commercial fish closed season
On 10/1/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers in Haines contacted Kris Morden, 46, of Haines. Investigation revealed that Morden was operating commercial Dungeness crab gear from the F/V Sequel prior to the noon commercial opening. Morden was issued a summons for
commercial fishing during a closed season and given a mandatory court appearance date of 10/14/11 in Haines District Court.