07-24-2008, 01:35 AM
In the Paper
Guest
Posted: 06/24/08 19:23:59 Post subject: Another one bites the Dust
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Today > News
Deputy Resigns During Internal Review
CITED BY U.S. COAST GUARD FOR INTOXICATED BOATING
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By Joe Seelig | Highlands Today
Published: June 24, 2008
SEBRING — Sheriff Susan Benton accepted a letter of resignation Monday from a deputy who was charged in April by the U.S. Coast Guard with intoxicated operation of a vessel, while boating in a Pine Island canal.
Former deputy Craig Skipper reportedly took an excursion in his boat on April 18, when he was stopped by the U.S. Coast Guard after a complaint was filed.
Coast guard officials reported Skipper appeared intoxicated but he refused twice to take a sobriety test, an investigation report by Sheriff's Internal Affairs Officer Lt. Gus Garcia stated.
The agency received a complaint that the boat was "operating on plane" (speeding) in a no wake zone and that the boat operator was "exposing himself," Garcia's report stated.
On board the boat were Skipper's wife, his daughter and a 14-year-old girl who is their daughter's friend.
The reporting coast guard officer noted that Skipper had bloodshot eyes and his speech was slurred, Garcia's report stated. Skipper was cited with intoxicated operation of a vessel – failure to submit to sobriety test, and was slapped with a civil fine of $1,000 which, according to Garcia, at his last check had not yet been paid.
Skipper was then released to officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to conduct its investigation of the incident, because it was suspected that Skipper ran his boat into a seawall, a floating dock and piling, and then left the scene of the crash.
He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on May 6, the report stated.
Charges of careless operation of a vessel and failure to report a boating accident were later dropped by the Lee County States Attorney's Office due to insufficient evidence, Garcia said Tuesday.
Garcia wrote in his report that nine witnesses described the boat but were not able to identify Skipper as the operator of a fast moving boat, which dispelled accusations of lewd and lascivious behavior.
Witnesses reported the suspect boat's operator was naked at one point and had on shorts when the boat passed them by in the opposite direction.
The state's attorney's office noted that the witnesses were very clear in their statements but were unable to pick Skipper out of a photo lineup.
Skipper denied to Garcia that he was operating the boat in the nude. Garcia asked Skipper why they would lie about that. They were "pissed off ... because we were speeding through the canal," Skipper reportedly said.
He also said the people on shore were throwing rocks at them. He admitted to Garcia that he hit the sea wall when he was operating the boat and they did not stop because people were throwing rocks.
However, he did not bring up the rock throwing when questioned by the fish and wildlife or the coast guard officers, Garcia noted.
Skipper told the fish and wildlife investigators that his daughter was operating the boat.
The fish and wildlife officers decided not to pursue the charge of boating under the influence of alcohol because when they interviewed Skipper they saw no signs of intoxication.
It should also be noted that Florida Fish and Wildlife officers interviewed Skipper five to 12 minutes after the coast guard finished, according to Gary Morse, fish and wildlife spokesman.
As a result of Garcia's investigation, a pre-disciplinary hearing was conducted involving Capt. Paul Blackman, Capt. Jeff Barfield, Capt. Randy LaBelle and Maj. Mark Schrader.
The panel recommended to Sheriff Benton that Skipper be dismissed because they believed Skipper twice violated the agency's code of conduct in reference to being submissive to authority and being truthful, as well as some of the agency's core values contained in its oath of office and canon of ethics.
Sheriff Benton spoke about Skipper's resignation Tuesday.
"I accepted his resignation based on the fact that he knew the recommendation by the captains and the major was dismissal," Benton said.
Skipper had been with the sheriff's office for 11 months, since July 25. He has about 23 years in law enforcement, Benton said.
Guest
Posted: 06/24/08 19:23:59 Post subject: Another one bites the Dust
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today > News
Deputy Resigns During Internal Review
CITED BY U.S. COAST GUARD FOR INTOXICATED BOATING
ADVERTISEMENT
By Joe Seelig | Highlands Today
Published: June 24, 2008
SEBRING — Sheriff Susan Benton accepted a letter of resignation Monday from a deputy who was charged in April by the U.S. Coast Guard with intoxicated operation of a vessel, while boating in a Pine Island canal.
Former deputy Craig Skipper reportedly took an excursion in his boat on April 18, when he was stopped by the U.S. Coast Guard after a complaint was filed.
Coast guard officials reported Skipper appeared intoxicated but he refused twice to take a sobriety test, an investigation report by Sheriff's Internal Affairs Officer Lt. Gus Garcia stated.
The agency received a complaint that the boat was "operating on plane" (speeding) in a no wake zone and that the boat operator was "exposing himself," Garcia's report stated.
On board the boat were Skipper's wife, his daughter and a 14-year-old girl who is their daughter's friend.
The reporting coast guard officer noted that Skipper had bloodshot eyes and his speech was slurred, Garcia's report stated. Skipper was cited with intoxicated operation of a vessel – failure to submit to sobriety test, and was slapped with a civil fine of $1,000 which, according to Garcia, at his last check had not yet been paid.
Skipper was then released to officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to conduct its investigation of the incident, because it was suspected that Skipper ran his boat into a seawall, a floating dock and piling, and then left the scene of the crash.
He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on May 6, the report stated.
Charges of careless operation of a vessel and failure to report a boating accident were later dropped by the Lee County States Attorney's Office due to insufficient evidence, Garcia said Tuesday.
Garcia wrote in his report that nine witnesses described the boat but were not able to identify Skipper as the operator of a fast moving boat, which dispelled accusations of lewd and lascivious behavior.
Witnesses reported the suspect boat's operator was naked at one point and had on shorts when the boat passed them by in the opposite direction.
The state's attorney's office noted that the witnesses were very clear in their statements but were unable to pick Skipper out of a photo lineup.
Skipper denied to Garcia that he was operating the boat in the nude. Garcia asked Skipper why they would lie about that. They were "pissed off ... because we were speeding through the canal," Skipper reportedly said.
He also said the people on shore were throwing rocks at them. He admitted to Garcia that he hit the sea wall when he was operating the boat and they did not stop because people were throwing rocks.
However, he did not bring up the rock throwing when questioned by the fish and wildlife or the coast guard officers, Garcia noted.
Skipper told the fish and wildlife investigators that his daughter was operating the boat.
The fish and wildlife officers decided not to pursue the charge of boating under the influence of alcohol because when they interviewed Skipper they saw no signs of intoxication.
It should also be noted that Florida Fish and Wildlife officers interviewed Skipper five to 12 minutes after the coast guard finished, according to Gary Morse, fish and wildlife spokesman.
As a result of Garcia's investigation, a pre-disciplinary hearing was conducted involving Capt. Paul Blackman, Capt. Jeff Barfield, Capt. Randy LaBelle and Maj. Mark Schrader.
The panel recommended to Sheriff Benton that Skipper be dismissed because they believed Skipper twice violated the agency's code of conduct in reference to being submissive to authority and being truthful, as well as some of the agency's core values contained in its oath of office and canon of ethics.
Sheriff Benton spoke about Skipper's resignation Tuesday.
"I accepted his resignation based on the fact that he knew the recommendation by the captains and the major was dismissal," Benton said.
Skipper had been with the sheriff's office for 11 months, since July 25. He has about 23 years in law enforcement, Benton said.