Police Blotter

Cover-up ordered by Folly police

A woman arrested after allegedly sunbathing topless was told by an officer that the practice is "illegal and immoral," a Folly Beach Public Safety Department report states.

On July 4, the officer allegedly saw the 27-year-old woman on the beach topless and holding one empty beer bottle and one that had just been opened. She was reportedly with a man who was holding a beer. She was told to put her top on, and both visitors were told to empty their beers and follow the officer, the report states.

The woman reportedly argued with the officer and used profanity, and then asked that she be given a warning instead of a citation. When told a warning for indecent exposure was not to be, she again cursed the officer, the report states. She was charged with indecent exposure, and both were charged with possession of open containers of alcohol.

DUI suspect takes a long look

A suspected drunken driver just stared when asked if he'd step from his car and take a roadside sobriety test, according to a Charleston police report.

The report states that an officer who stopped the car early June 29 on Folly Road asked the driver three times if he'd participate in the tests, but got no answers. After being told he was being charged with driving under the influence and asked if he'd consumed any alcohol, the man said, "Yeah, I had a few drinks," according to the report. The man refused to take a breath test, the report states, and was taken to the Charleston County Detention Center.

Man charged with assault, battery

Charleston police arrested a man who, after allegedly being spurned by a woman, "became agitated, started talking smack with her and started throwing beer cans at her," a report states. The woman told police the man swung his fists, striking her twice in her forehead, during the June 26 incident on James Island, the report states. Police said the 51-year-old suspect was intoxicated, refused to talk to an officer and was charged with assault and battery.

Woman demands pay for brew

A woman whose open beer was confiscated by a police officer demanded he pay her $2 for the brew, according to a Folly Beach Public Safety Department report. The officer was reportedly closing and locking the entrance to Folly Beach Fishing Pier about 11 p.m. July 3 when the woman tried to slip past the gate. When told the pier was closing and she should head to the exit, she allegedly exhibited "signs of gross alcohol intoxication," the report states. She allegedly told police, "Thanks for ruining my night," the report states. She reportedly cursed the officer, who noticed she was carrying a beer, and she allegedly became "even more belligerent" when the beer was confiscated. She demanded to be paid for the beer and asked pier staff looking on, "what they thought was so funny," the report states.

She was charged with disorderly conduct and possession of an open container of alcohol, and taken to the Charleston County Detention Center.

Driver faces DUI charge in wreck

After a pickup truck struck a tree beside Folly Road, the driver reportedly put the truck back on the road and tried to speed away when a Charleston police officer pulled up behind him, according to a report.

The officer stopped the truck late June 27 in a parking lot, and saw that the driver was "in a confused state," smelled of alcohol and had glassy eyes, the report states. The man nearly fell over after stepping from the truck and reportedly failed roadside sobriety tests. An open bottle of whiskey was found in the truck, the report states.

The man was reportedly charged with driving under the influence, possession of an open container of liquor in a motor vehicle, no proof of ownership and no registration, and taken to the Charleston County Detention Center.

Police probe turtle nest dig

A turtle watch volunteer recently repaired damage done three times to a turtle egg nest on Folly Beach, according to the city's Public Safety Department.

The volunteer reported that on the morning of June 30 the nest had been opened and both the eggs and the sand over them had been placed beside the nest. On each of the next two mornings, the sand was removed from atop the eggs and left beside the nest, the report states.

Each time the turtle watch volunteer reportedly repaired the nest.

On July 3, police confiscated a shovel found on the beach not far from the turtle nest, the report states. The shovel and the disturbed nest were photographed, and area residents were asked if they'd seen anything related to the nest-tampering incident. Turtle nests are protected by law.

Back seat sleeper taken home

Folly Beach police charged a man with disorderly conduct after finding him allegedly drunk and sleeping in the back seat of a fellow islander's car, a report states.

A complainant told police early July 2 there was a man asleep in her car in the driveway.

The 33-year-old sleeper allegedly smelled of alcohol and was difficult to awake, a Public Safety Department officer wrote.

The man was given a citation and driven to his home on the island, the report states.

Golf cart chased, charges made

Larceny charges were made early June 20 against a man and woman accused of stealing and damaging a golf cart from a marina.

A marina employee allegedly noticed the $1,500 cart missing about 4:20 a.m. and then saw it leaving the parking area.

A witness called police while following the cart, the report states. Police found the cart unoccupied, with front-end damage. The witness reported the couple fled the cart wearing only swimsuits.

Minutes later, an officer reportedly saw two people in swimsuits climbing a fence.

The report states the couple was detained, admitted to taking the cart and offered to pay for any damage.

The cart and damage were photographed, and the couple were taken to the Charleston County Detention Center.

These news items were taken from incident reports from the Folly Beach Public Safety Department, Charleston Police Department and Charleston County Sheriff's Office.