Shirtless, shoeless teenager walking in bike lane visited by police

Friday, July 10

Beach parking dispute boils over

1:35 p.m., 3175 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Disturbance: A man trying to find parking at a Longboat Key beach access called police after he was blocked from pulling into the parking spot by another beachgoer. When Longboat Key police arrived on scene, a report said they were approached by the caller walking quickly toward the officer and yelling. He angrily told the officer that a woman was blocking him from pulling into a parking space, using a derogatory term to describe her. After the officer told the man that blocking a parking spot was not illegal, he said the person also banged on his window with their hand. The officer went to speak with two women, including the woman in question. She told the officer that nothing had happened and did not know why the police had been called. The two then walked to the beach. The officer determined that no crime occurred and advised the man who was getting more irate by the minute there were other beach accesses on the island. The officer closed the case.

Saturday, July 11

Caller prevents impaired woman from driving off

11:30 a.m., 6850 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious person: A concerned citizen called police after she noticed a woman stumbling on her way to her vehicle from the beach. When police arrived, they were pointed toward the vehicle in question by the caller. A woman who was sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle spoke with police and said she could not find her keys. The officer could smell alcohol on her breath, a police report said, and asked if she had been drinking. She told officers she had two cocktails over a three-hour period while she was at the beach. When a second officer arrived on scene, the woman said she may be dehydrated and consumed two full water bottles while speaking with police. She then decided to get a ride-share home, and police closed the case.

Monday, July 13

No shirt, no shoes, in bike lane

4:10 a.m., 4000 block Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious person: A police officer on patrol stopped to investigate when he saw a barefoot man with shaggy red hair wearing no shirt walking in the bike lane early in the morning. The officer approached the teenager, who, according to a report, said he was in an argument with his hotel roommate and decided to take a walk to step away from the dispute. The officer told the distraught man he should not walk in a bike lane, especially with low visibility at night. The man then proceeded back to the nearby hotel, and the case was closed.