On Sunday, July 24th, officers responded to a report of a motor vehicle crash near the intersection of 13th Street and Butler Avenue. While speaking with the driver of the at-fault vehicle, officers noticed that his eyes were “glassy” and that they could smell an odor similar to that of an alcoholic drink coming off of him. When asked how much alcohol he had that day, the man said that he drank “one of them buckets they sell on the pier” approximately two hours prior to becoming involved in the accident. During the course of the subsequent investigation, officers found additional evidence to suggest that the man had been operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. He was subsequently placed under arrest and charged with Following Too Closely and DUI.

That same day, we received a report in reference to a theft from the beach. While speaking with our officers, the complainant said she and a friend left two paddleboards unattended while they went for a walk. When they returned, both paddleboards were gone. One board is described as being red and white, while the other is pink and white in color. While our team works hard to provide as safe of an environment as possible, it’s important to remember that thieves and criminals enjoy the beach as well. If at all possible, please do not leave any items of value unattended in the sand. In the meantime, if you have a sketchy acquaintance who has suddenly come into possession of a pair of potentially stolen paddleboards, you can give us a call at (912)786-5600. Thank you.

On Friday, July 29th, we alerted our social media community to the presence of brush fires along Highway 80 near the Bull River Bridge. In response, several of you expressed concern that the fires appeared to have been intentionally set, with our followers reporting that he had seen a vehicle parked in the same area earlier that afternoon. On Saturday, we received a call about a man being caught setting a fire inside of Battery Row. According to the caller, the man had entered into a privately owned section of Battery Row and set fire to the brush. When confronted, he claimed that he was “burning his mail”, but the caller did not see any evidence of that at the time. The caller then made the man extinguish the fire and leave the property immediately. Sometime later, the caller realized that the man may have been responsible for the fires along Highway 80 the day before and contacted the police department to file a report. If you have any pertinent information to share in regards to either of these incidents, you can contact the Tybee Island Police Department 24 hours a day at (912)786-5600. In the meantime, all of our friends and neighbors are encouraged to be on the lookout for suspicious activity, especially in regards to fire setting and arson. If you see something, you can contact our agency 24 hours a day at the number listed above or by dialing 911 in the event of an emergency.

Also on Saturday, one of our officers was monitoring traffic along Highway 80 when he spotted a vehicle driving very slowly in the right lane. As the officer continued to watch, the vehicle drifted over the solid white “fog line” several times. As the vehicle passed his position, the officer noticed that the driver had one hand on the wheel and was typing on his cell phone with the other. After being pulled over, the driver told our officer that he was searching for his vacation rental. During the course of the stop, the officer learned that the driver did not have a license, and subsequently placed him under arrest. The driver was charged with Failure to Maintain Lane, “Hands Free" violation and Driving Without a License.

Later that day, our team responded to the area of Highway 80 and Campbell Avenue in reference to a Hit and Run. During the course of the investigation, officers learned that a dark in color Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) struck another car, pushing it into a telephone pole and seriously injuring two of its occupants, before fleeing the scene. A short time later, officers received a report of a second accident in the area of Highway 80 and 6th Avenue. Upon their arrival, they noticed that one of the vehicles involved matched the description of the suspect from the Hit and Run. While speaking with the driver, officers noticed that he unsteady on his feet and had a strong odor similar to that of an alcoholic drink coming off of him. It also became obvious that he had soiled himself. When asked for his license, the man produced a Georgia “Identification Only” card. After placing the man under arrest, officers conducted an inventory of his SUV. During this time they located several open containers of alcohol throughout. The man was subsequently charged with Following Too Closely, Open Container, Driving Without a License, Reckless Driving, Hit and Run with Serious Injuries (Felony) and DUI.