- December 5, 2025
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10:26 a.m., 3800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious person: A couple who did not live in a waterfront community but told police they had a friend who did departed willingly when asked. An officer was called to the property by a community board member who said the couple had previously been asked not to fish from a community dock. But they were back. The Pasco County woman and Hillsborough County man were told the community board member did not want them on the property, and they left without issue.
11:17 a.m., 5700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Drug case: An officer who stopped a car flagged by the town’s license-plate reading system first confirmed the car's owner with a suspended license was indeed driving. He was. During his interaction with the Bradenton man, who surmised his license issue was likely connected to failed child support (it was), the officer reported smelling raw marijuana. He asked the driver if he was in possession of the drug. He said he was and produced a bag weighing 27 grams (almost an ounce). The leafy material was confirmed to be marijuana through field testing, and the man was arrested on a felony charge. He was also cited for a suspended license.
11:39 p.m., 1600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Disturbance: Four women who had been reported to be drunk in a bathroom returned to a resort bar for more drinks but were denied additional service. This upset them. An argument followed, which attracted the attention of two men who also got upset. Before police arrived, though, the women had left. Management was told to call police again if the four returned.
1:10 a.m., 500 block of Bay Isles Parkway
Suspicious vehicle: A small sedan was spotted by a patrolling officer in a shopping center parking lot. It was running and occupied by people who might have been sleeping. The officer quickly learned the occupants had been to the beach. The driver had bloodshot eyes, according to a report, and the officer smelled a whiff of alcohol. After conceding he had a few beers before 6 p.m., the out-of-town driver was given a sobriety check, which did not reveal sufficient impairment to continue the investigation.
3:45 p.m., 3400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Citizen assist: Police were alerted to the presence of a 3-foot by 4-foot hole in the sand, reported by a caller who was concerned someone could fall in. The officer filled the hole.
2:40 p.m., near Jewfish Key
Citizen assist: Marine patrol officers spotted a paddler in an inflatable kayak struggling against the tide and current. Obviously fatigued, she and her craft were taken aboard the police boat and brought to land.
8:54 p.m., 200 block of North Shore Road
Citizen assist: Police responded to a familiar call on the north end of the island: a blinking light offshore from Longboat Pass. The officer explained it was a navigational marker indicating to boaters the entrance to the pass.
11:11 p.m., 6000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Citizen assist: Police helped the lost driver of a vehicle they noticed stopped on the road near the site of an unrelated traffic stop they were conducting. The man, who said he was from a Caribbean nation, told them he had set out from Fort Myers to meet family in Miami and ended up on the north end of Longboat Key. He said his home-country cellphone was inoperable here. Police checked to ensure the man had no criminal record and that his license was valid. Officers then printed a map with directions, which the driver said he was confident he could follow.
6:08 p.m., 4200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious vehicle: Police found a man with a flat tire parked in a private lot. The man said he was waiting for a ride to return home, collect help and tools and return to fix the problem within an hour. The officer said rules regarding private lots make such a move risky because property owners were within their rights to have the vehicle towed if the out-and-back repair run took longer than expected.
