November Police Blotter

Crystal Canterbury

Caught on the 'Coke is back!

November was a relatively calm month on Ocracoke; there were fewer traffic stops and less criminal activity in the weeks following Halloween. "Once Halloween gets here," explained Sgt. Jason Daniels of the Hyde County Sheriff's Department, "the island slows down, therefore the office slows down." Still, there were a few incidents. Sgt. Daniels said there were two Driving While Impaired (DWI) arrests made, two incidents of Injury to Personal Property, and an active investigation into a Peeping Tom incident.

One of the Injury to Personal Property occurrences was to a vehicle; damage which may have been caused from someone leaning too hard on or by propping one's self using the fender of the vehicle. The other involved damage to a septic tank caused by a vehicle driving over that area in a resident's yard.

In cases involving a suspected impaired driver, Sgt. Daniels detailed that if the driver presents Reasonable Suspicion, meaning a Deputy believes a crime is being committed, they will stop the driver in question. A motorist can also be pulled over if they present Probable Cause, which means a law is being broken, such as speeding or expired registration. Daniels said their next action is to communicate with the driver to observe and listen for signs of being impaired. At that point, if the Deputy feels the driver is breaking the law, a Standardized Field Sobriety Test will be conducted, and a Breathilizer test administered.

The legal limit in North Carolina for Breath Alcohol Content is 0.08, so if a driver "blows" that number or higher he or she will be arrested. That said, a driver could "blow" under a 0.08, but if that person is clearly intoxicated he or she will be charged with Driving While Impaired (DWI).

"At that point," explained Sgt. Daniels, "an arrest will be made. We will then bring that person to office where breath tests on the Intoximeter will be performed."

The Intoximeter is an instrument which is approved by the State of North Carolina to test for alcohol levels through breath. Two tests are run to confirm results and insure no errors were made. If the instrument malfunctions in any way it will remain unusable until it's repaired. Once the Deputies have completed all of these tests the Magistrate will be contacted and a bond set. If the person charged is able to pay the bond and find someone who will assume responsibility of him or her, the person may leave. If the bond is paid but no one can be found to assume responsibility of the person charged, he or she will stay with the Hyde County Sheriff's Department. If the bond cannot be paid, the person charged will be transported to the Dare County Detention Center until the trial or until they make bond.

Sgt. Daniels expressed that, "Bonding someone out of jail is a huge responsibility. Once you assume responsibility for that person, you are held accountable for his or her actions. If that person decides to go back out and gets arrested again, the person who bonded him or her out will also suffer the concequences." Sgt. Daniels encourages people to enjoy their time on Ocracoke, to remain safe, and to avoid drinking and driving.

On November 24th, at approximately 10:40pm, a resident reported seeing a Peeping Tom looking into her home from the second story. The Hyde County Sheriff's Department is actively investigating this incident, legally referred to as Peeping into a Room Occupied by Another, and Sgt. Daniels said, "We're hoping to catch the person who has done this. Anyone with any information is asked to come forward."

Sgt. Daniels also talked about the role of the Sheriff's Department within the community. "We spend more time in businesses since there's not a lot happening traffic wise. We see people and just talk to them." Sgt. Daniels also explained that, "if you're ever walking home when it's dark and get a feeling or see something that makes you feel uncomfortable or nervous, call us. We will come meet you where you are get you home safely." Daniels continued by saying, "And the same goes for people making nighttime deposits; if for any reason you don't feel comfortable making a deposit at the bank when it's dark, we will escort you. We are here to serve our community and prevent crime from happening."

 

 

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