www.toledoblade.com/.../Swimmer-is-arrested-for-refusing-to-exit-river.html
Swimmer is arrested for refusing to exit river
BLADE STAFF
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A man was arrested Thursday night after spending almost four hours swimming in the Maumee River to promote Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity initiative, according to the Coast Guard.
The man, whose name was not available, entered the river at about 3 p.m. — after informing the Coast Guard of his plan. He wore a protective suit and used a flotation device with a sign promoting Mrs. Obama’s initiative, Coast Guard spokesman Don Chase said.
At the request of police, Coast Guard Station Toledo dispatched a boat to help get the man out of the water after he refused to come ashore. By the time the boat arrived, he was onshore near the Anthony Wayne Bridge and under arrest for disorderly conduct and inducing panic.
I always wonder about the aribtrary enforcement of these things. A couple of years a go, a local well-known type and a local businessman jumped in the Ohio on a lark one afternoon and swam across and back in downtown Cincinnati. The well-known type routinely kayaks in the river and is an advocate for perserving the river. As people noticed, the newspaper photogs made it over and there was front page picture the next morning as a curiosity piece.
A few weeks later a younger guy (after a couple of beers) bet his friends one night that he could swim across the river. He did so and was arrested on the other side for inducing panic.
"Inducing panic"--If this is a crime, can you imagine the mass arrests of teachers, bosses, and others who set some kind of deadlines on projects... oh, and the IRS... April 15....
All right, buddy--you're under arrest for inducing panic in Ms. Taxpayer who is sweating over Schedule D. You have a right to remain silent... yada yada yada."
"The alleged perpetrator was arrested as she left her classroom, after a panicked student called police..."
Come to think of it, in this case, perhaps the swimmers could file counter charges against the police who must have induced panic when they made their arrests.
Inducing Panic?
What does that mean?
Going into a river by yourself is inducing panic? Like a bomb scare?
I agree that he shold have had a friend lifeguard him, but.
This is a good time to be old.
Thanks for posting this! I used to live in Toledo and I really would prefer that the cops make better use of their time and taxpayer dollars by worrying about more serious crimes.
I think an arrest was a bit ridiculous... he probably did scare the onlookers, but maybe a citation would have been more appropriate.
My son & I were "removed" from a glacier & given a scolding rather than a ticket or arrest for self endangerment by the park police in Alaska.
Where was this?
