lostatsea
12-09-2009, 03:55 PM
Has anyone ever received a summons for fishing off a bridge?
GRASSY SOUND — On Monday November 16, 2009, at approximately 9:00PM, Middle Township Police communications operators received a “911” call of a man, possibly wanting to jump off the Grassy Sounds Bride (The highest span of the three bridges in that stretch of SH#147 (North Wildwood Blvd), in the Grassy Sounds section of Middle Township.
Middle Township patrol officers, the Major Crimes Unit, along with mutual aid from North Wildwood and Stone Harbor Police Departments, immediately responded to the scene. Follow-up calls into communications, revealed that the person seen on the bridge did not jump off the bridge but may have been there to go fishing.
Officers searched the area by land, using flashlights and night vision, were unable to locate anyone. An inquiry into the availability of a boat to respond and check the base of the bride by water, revealed that the United States Coast Guard did have a boat available to launch, from Cape May. The New Jersey State Police, Marine Bureau, also had personnel who were responding from the Atlantic City station, to launch their boat from North Wildwood Station. A further check with Stone Harbor Fire Department revealed that they had a small “jet boat” available for immediate launch. A request for their response by Middle Township Police was made and members of the Stone Harbor Fire Department arrived a short time later, by boat, and checked the entire base of the bridge by water.
While that search was taking place, Patrolman Adam McGraw, from North Wildwood Police Department, descended down a fixed ladder at the top, to the base of the bridge, approximately forty feet, and located three subjects who were hiding from search teams. All three subjects; Chance Gray, Matthew Newby and Ryan Bailey, were in their twenty’s and live in Lower Township. Further investigation revealed that they climbed down the bridge, with fishing gear, to go fishing. All three were issued criminal summonses for Trespassing, and released at the scene.
The second, and more important message of this release is to warn all residents against fishing, exploring or any other activity in the area of all bridges, as they are state or county owned property, where trespassing is forbidden. These violations are taken very seriously. Anyone caught in these areas will be arrested and charged with Trespassing, as well as any other related charges. Such actions put the violator, as well as all responding rescue personnel, at risk of serious injury, and/or death.
GRASSY SOUND — On Monday November 16, 2009, at approximately 9:00PM, Middle Township Police communications operators received a “911” call of a man, possibly wanting to jump off the Grassy Sounds Bride (The highest span of the three bridges in that stretch of SH#147 (North Wildwood Blvd), in the Grassy Sounds section of Middle Township.
Middle Township patrol officers, the Major Crimes Unit, along with mutual aid from North Wildwood and Stone Harbor Police Departments, immediately responded to the scene. Follow-up calls into communications, revealed that the person seen on the bridge did not jump off the bridge but may have been there to go fishing.
Officers searched the area by land, using flashlights and night vision, were unable to locate anyone. An inquiry into the availability of a boat to respond and check the base of the bride by water, revealed that the United States Coast Guard did have a boat available to launch, from Cape May. The New Jersey State Police, Marine Bureau, also had personnel who were responding from the Atlantic City station, to launch their boat from North Wildwood Station. A further check with Stone Harbor Fire Department revealed that they had a small “jet boat” available for immediate launch. A request for their response by Middle Township Police was made and members of the Stone Harbor Fire Department arrived a short time later, by boat, and checked the entire base of the bridge by water.
While that search was taking place, Patrolman Adam McGraw, from North Wildwood Police Department, descended down a fixed ladder at the top, to the base of the bridge, approximately forty feet, and located three subjects who were hiding from search teams. All three subjects; Chance Gray, Matthew Newby and Ryan Bailey, were in their twenty’s and live in Lower Township. Further investigation revealed that they climbed down the bridge, with fishing gear, to go fishing. All three were issued criminal summonses for Trespassing, and released at the scene.
The second, and more important message of this release is to warn all residents against fishing, exploring or any other activity in the area of all bridges, as they are state or county owned property, where trespassing is forbidden. These violations are taken very seriously. Anyone caught in these areas will be arrested and charged with Trespassing, as well as any other related charges. Such actions put the violator, as well as all responding rescue personnel, at risk of serious injury, and/or death.