3 boaters arrested after melee on dock

[JohnR]

http://www.projo.com/cgi-bin/story.pl/news/06063391.htm

8.27.2001 00:41
3 boaters arrested after melee on dock
BLOCK ISLAND -- Three men who fought with other boaters over a plastic chair were arrested early yesterday morning after they ran from the police, wrecked their boat on a rock and swam ashore.

Mark Sutherland, 34, and his brother, Joe, 22, both from Swansea, and Kyle Worthen, 22, of Barrington, were charged with disorderly conduct. A fourth man, John Deraimo, 41, was also charged with disorderly conduct.

Around 2 a.m., six men -- including those arrested -- began fighting on the town dock in Old Harbor "over a $12 plastic chair that didn't belong to any of them," said Police Chief William McCombe.

Several men fell in the water during the melee, which ended just after Police Officer Joseph DeMatteo arrived at the dock in response to a 2:26 a.m. call.

A rescue crew transported John and Nicholas Deraimo, both of Foster, to the medical center, where they were treated for minor injuries.

But Worthern and the Sutherlands fled the harbor in a 22-foot Grady-White sports fishing boat, despite orders from DeMatteo to stay put. "They were bumping off piers," McCombe said.

The three men headed for the mainland, then turned back to the east side of the island, where they struck a rock and took on water, McCombe said.

They called 911 -- and got the island police.

"They abandoned their boat and started swimming. When they arrived on shore, they were met by the Police Department," McCombe said. The boat washed ashore about a half mile away, near North Light, he said.

UH - Drinking maybe??

[patrickswoman]

Hahahahaha... nothing funnier than drunk anglers...

[Jenn]

HAHAHAHAHA.....YEAH REAL FUNNY WHEN THEY WHACK SOME INNNOCENT BYSTANDER!!!!!!!!!!! There is a place and time.....but not at the same time.......

I feel sorry for the boat.........


I am no angel and I like my brew! I dont own a boat (YET!!!) but I DO own a snowmobile and there are three reasons I dont "drink and ride"......I dont wanna crack up my "baby", I dont wanna kill myself, and most of all I dont think its right to risk OTHER peoples lives, I feel the same about boating and other motors sports as well as driving a car of course.........its just pure stupidity!

[patrickswoman]

I wasn't trying to imply that potentially hurting people is at all funny...just the nature of the argument was so absurd...and I've seen it happen time and time again. I like my brew too but I know my limits...

[Patrick82]

I too think it's sorta funny. Like Mindi said, it's not the actually violence, it's the nature of it.

Fourth of July two years ago, my buddy brought his girlfriend's older brother out and he was smashed. The guy has no clue what to do even when he's sober. That night, he was making some wild casts and I just sensed trouble afoot. I took off around 8ish. The next day I show up and another buddy is telling me a boat got his line and he took off down the pier/jetty, tackled the guy on one of the boat ramps and started beating this guy over a rig that maybe cost 1.50. Well the police were called and the Chief of Police responds and the crazy drunk starts swinging at him. He's never allowed back in the Marina now. It's sad but you have to laugh at how people let alcohol control them.

[JohnR]

Which Marina?

[Arby]

The funniest thing was they were fighting over a chair that didn't belong to anyone involved.

[Patrick82]

South Benson Marina in Fairfield.

[Polish Prince]

What's the daily bag limit on plastic chairs - ha ha ha ha ha ha

[Jenn]

Sorry for jumping all over that one......yes partly funny I agree, but not funny when you think about it.......