Underage Rager on Brown’s Island, Anti-Police Graffiti, Rocks Thrown at Moving Cars & More 

Police Log July 10 to July 16, 2022 (plus July 4th follow-up)

Editor’s Note: While the matter remained under investigation, the Marblehead Police Department (MPD) withheld information concerning an incident on Brown’s Island on July 4th (a period Marblehead Beacon covered in an earlier police log). Since the conclusion of that investigation, MPD released partially redacted information, which we provide here with some additional redactions of names and identifying information of involved parties.

July 4

The following is the full report from Sergeant Eric Osattin of the Marblehead Police Department, redacted by Marblehead Beacon as noted:

On Monday, July 4, 2022, at about 17:30, I responded as a C-Division patrol supervisor with a contingent of officers aboard a harbormaster patrol boat to the area of Brown’s Island. Lt. Everett directed me to take officers out with the harbormaster, at the harbormaster’s request, to assist in dealing with the out of control situation on the island and on surrounding boats, part of which he had observed from shore.

Officers Comeau, Mastrangelo, and I responded with Harbormaster Souza and Assistant Harbormaster Rizos aboard the Metal Shark patrol boat, “Hornet.” We entered the area from Little Harbor while the Harbormaster’s SAFE boat entered from Peaches Point. Our goal was to start with an overt physical presence in an attempt to disrupt some of the unruly behavior. When we approached the area, we discovered a massive group of about 250-300 people partying on the island. We observed extensive alcohol consumption, including what appeared as considerable underage drinking.

There were several pop-up tents, as well as what looked like a DJ booth. On the water, we observed several dozen boats anchored, some in large raft-ups of 4+ boats. Many of the boats had noticeable overload conditions, with 20-30 foot boats occupied with 15-20, or more, passengers. 

Overall, the area was congested with boat traffic and numerous swimmers in the water and on rafts/floats. We noticed several boats nearly run over swimmers or back down close to them. At one point, Officer Mastrangelo and I observed two women swimming directly to the swim platform of a small center console, as it reversed toward them. One of the women reached out and narrowly missed striking the moving propeller before the operator, unaware of the swimmers, throttled forward, leaving the two swimmers in the prop-wash.

Harbormaster Souza attempted to intervene by ordering the large raft-ups to split. I also suggested that he terminate the voyages of overloaded boats if the persons in control could not display sufficient PFDs. He did this with several boats, many of whom argued or refused to obey. We encountered one boat, a 26 foot center console named REDACTED with about 17-20 POB. The female operator of the boat appeared to struggle in maneuvering around the area. She also nearly backed down on a swimmer, before another operator took the helm and throttled forward uncontrollably. The female then returned to the helm and continued to maneuver before fouling the boat’s propeller in another boat’s anchor rode. After they freed the prop, we ordered them alongside and Rizos pulled the boat to safer water. The person in control of the boat identified herself as REDACTED. It appeared as though REDACTED and her passengers had all been drinking and we observed numerous bags of empty alcoholic beverage cans. REDACTED and her passengers confirmed that they were younger than 21. Additionally, REDACTED could only produce a handful of PFDs, not nearly enough for her passengers. She stated that some of them swam to the boat from shore. Harbormaster Souza terminated the voyage and told REDACTED she needed someone else to take control of the boat. REDACTED called her father, who came over from Marblehead Harbor in his dinghy to take control of the boat and transport it back to its mooring.

After clearing that, Lt. Everett contacted me and requested we turn our attention to the island. We reported to the Marblehead Trading Company dock at Beacon St to get a few more officers, as we did not want to go ashore with just three police officers in the area. Harbormaster Souza broke up several raft-ups as we went. We picked up Officers Morley, Adkerson, and DeFelice and reported to the island. I instructed the officers that we would not be on a public information mission and would not lecture people on the island. Our goal was to disrupt the considerable amount of alcohol consumption and disperse the unruly crowds engaged in the consumption. We would simply tell people to dump the alcohol and move on, escalating enforcement action only as necessary.

Due to the outgoing tide and extensive boat traffic, Souza and Rizos had a difficult time locating a safe spot for the officers to go ashore. Rizos found a location and maneuvered the boat as close as he could, but the bow beached several feet from the shoreline. We approached the island and devised a safe plan to put officers ashore from that spot, while minimizing any water entry. Officers Morley and Comeau went ashore and engaged the parties.

Between their confrontations with specific groups and our general presence, about half of the group began to disperse.

We were able to disrupt some of the behavior, but many more people remained, and the island was littered with trash and empty beverage cans. A short time later, it seemed as though the area calmed considerably.

Marblehead Beacon Article Competition

July 10

Officers were called to 7/11 at approximately 2:20 AM because the clerk had reported that several unruly males came in and when one of them was paying for merchandise, his credit card was declined, causing him to threaten the clerk. The clerk followed the unruly customers outside and says the male who had threatened him punched him in the face. The clerk identified the male who he says punched him but ultimately decided he did not want to proceed with charges. 

July 11

Police responded to 28 Vine Street (Marblehead Recreation and Parks facility) for a report of a past larceny. An employee explained that over the weekend someone had stolen a catalytic converter from one of the town vehicles. The vehicle had been parked in back of the facility. It was evident to police that someone had used a saw to remove the catalytic converter from underneath the vehicle. The catalytic converter has an estimated value of $1500.

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Police took a report for a past tagging incident that had occurred at the Forest River Conservation area. The exact location was at the junction of the inner Loop Trail and the Don Morgan Hip Boot Spur. The reporting party was a Conservation member who discovered that someone had used white spray paint to write, "F-ck 12,” a term known to be code for, "F-ck the Police.”

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At about 6:45 PM police responded to Cliffside Drive where there was a mulch dispute between neighbors involving one party spreading mulch over the driveway of his neighbor. There is disputed property between the neighbors’ houses. Police informed the parties the matter was civil in nature. 

July 12

At approximately 2:45 PM police were called to the Devereux Nursing Home for a hit-and-run report. A Devereux worker said she was parked on Lafayette Street and saw a car hit hers and cause damage. She gave a description and partial plate, and police dispatch notified the officer that a Salem Police officer had pulled over an erratic driver that fit the description and plate number. After assisting the Devereux worker, Marblehead Police went to the Salem scene. The driver could be heard screaming obscenities and was observed kicking and head butting inside the cruiser. There was a small child in the rear of the driver’s vehicle. Her car had extensive damage and the child was treated in an ambulance but had no injuries. The driver was taken into custody. 

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Police were dispatched to Farrell Court for a report that a tenant was not following noise restrictions. Police observed that a television could be heard far down the hall but could not make contact with the tenant. The caller was advised to report the matter to the Housing Authority. 

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Police were dispatched to the parking lot behind CVS at approximately 2:30 PM for a report of a two-car accident. While pulling out of the lot, one vehicle struck another and both vehicles sustained damage. No injuries were reported. 

July 13

Gunshots in the vicinity of Hawkes Street and Washington Street were reported by a caller at approximately 1:30 AM. Officers determined from other reports and after investigating that it was likely fireworks. 

July 14

At approximately 1:30 PM police encountered a vehicle that had been traveling on Pleasant Street and in order to avoid heavy oncoming traffic, veered to the right, swiping a second vehicle that had been parked more than 12 inches from the curb, which is a parking violation. Both vehicles sustained some damage. 

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 At approximately 7:45 AM police were dispatched to Seaside Park for a report of vandalism. The reporting party met police to show them new instances of graffiti throughout the park, including on the tennis practice wall, the entrance trail, the fitness trail instructional sign, and the playground jungle gym equipment. Police observed additional graffiti, including on an electrical box and on a bench. The bench had both graffiti and a backrest broken off. Other exercise equipment was tagged as well, and had plexiglass removed. Police confirmed the graffiti was new.

Select photos included below: 

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A caller from Broughton Road reported that her neighbor was harassing her by moving and filling up her trash cans. She was advised that she should notify the Housing Authority.

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A caller from Schooner Ridge reported that her neighbor was throwing rocks at her and yelled at her, and then called back to say the matter with her neighbor had been settled and she needed no assistance. 

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At approximately 11:00 PM a caller from a home on Washington Street reported that three or four kids were jumping off a rooftop, which she had noticed from her third-story window. She yelled at them, “What the hell are you doing here?” at which point they jumped down onto her second-story deck and fled the scene. She did not give a description of the kids other than that they were approximately 17 years old. There was no damage to her property and nothing was missing. Her rooftop runs up against her neighbor’s three-story bathroom window, which was cranked open but didn’t appear to be tampered with. The police notified the neighbor that she should secure her window. 

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July 15

A caller reported seeing a capsized Opti in the harbor and speculated that it might be practicing, as there was a Whaler nearby. The Harbormaster contacted the Whaler, and the Opti was, indeed, practicing capsizing. 

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At approximately 4:30 PM, a vehicle crashed into a wall of a residence on Ocean Avenue, and then traveled approximately 100 more feet. An ambulance and fire truck were called to the scene. All further information has been redacted by MPD.  

July 16

At approximately 11:30 PM the driver of a vehicle met with police outside 45 Atlantic Avenue to report that as he had driven past CVS, a kid attempted to run into the crosswalk, threw his hands up, and yelled something at the driver, after which he heard something hit the rear of his vehicle. The driver gave a description of the individual and said he’d run off with others. Once the officer returned to the station he learned that another caller had informed police that her car had been struck by a rock as she drove by CVS.

Six reports of hit-and-runs with property damage to parked cars were alleged to have taken place between July 10 and July 16, 2022. 

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Six verbal warnings or citations for moving violations were issued between July 10 and July 16, 2022.

Editor’s Note: Marblehead Beacon highlights certain events for publication, which include information obtained from incident and arrest reports, and on occasion from court documents. We do not attest to the veracity of anything contained in such documents, and only publish redacted versions of what are matters of public record. There will be little to no information regarding specifics in cases of domestic violence, matters pertaining to juveniles, incidents in which an individual is taken into protective custody, and select matters that remain under police investigation.