CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — As spring breakers and police clashed in Miami Beach over the weekend, it’s been a very different scene for Spring Break in Tampa Bay.
However, there have been a couple of incidents in Clearwater.
Two 18-year-old men from Brandon were arrested on Clearwater Beach Saturday afternoon for battery on a lifeguard.
According to a Clearwater Police officer, a lifeguard working tower four on Clearwater Beach saw two underage girls who appeared to be “heavily intoxicated” around 4 p.m.
The lifeguard reportedly approached the girls to ask if they were okay or needed assistance. The police report states Chase Moorer, 18, got into the lifeguard’s face and stated, “Do we have a problem?” before pushing the lifeguard.
Noah Dubose, 18, also allegedly approached the lifeguard, pushed him, and said “We got a problem?”
The two men were arrested for battery on an emergency medical personnel. The lifeguard didn’t suffer any injuries.
Then, Clearwater police say a video that’s circulating on social media is not a laughing matter. It shows a man being let out of a patrol car on Clearwater Beach and running away handcuffed as the crowd cheers him on.
The video was captured on Wednesday night after police responded to the beach to break up a disturbance.
Clearwater Police Department spokesman Rob Shaw says some are treating the video as a joke.
“Everybody thinks it’s funny, everybody thinks it’s a joke. This is not a joke,” Shaw said. “I mean, these are unruly people out there behaving in inappropriate ways on the beach.”
He says it’s disappointing that so many are sharing and commenting on social media.
“It’s not a joke to us, it’s not a laughing matter. It’s not about page clicks and page views and social media,” Shaw added. “This is about people violating the law and then flouting it.”
Police caught up with the teenage fugitive within seconds. Dominic Glass, 18, of Land O’ Lakes is now facing charges for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and escape.
On Thursday evening, police arrested Adam Asad, 18, of Oldsmar. He is the one accused of opening the patrol car door allowing Glass to escape.
According to police, Asad bragged he was going to be famous for his actions and is now facing charges for aiding escape and resisting arrest without violence.
Glass made his first appearance before a judge on Wednesday afternoon. The judge instructed him that if he does post bond he cannot go back to Clearwater Beach during Spring Break.
Down in Miami Beach, city leaders declared a state of emergency in an effort to control the crowds. There’s now an 8:00 p.m. curfew in place through April 12.
While the crowds have been good for local business owners like Kimi Tortuga, who performs at a Clearwater hotel, she and others have concerns about the large groups of people.
“People haven’t been following the rules at all,” Tortuga said. “Since day one no one has followed the rules. Just got to protect yourself.”
Driving into to Clearwater, there are several signs that remind people to not gather in large crowds, maintain six feet social distance and to not bring alcohol on the beach.
