Tybee
Morning Motion
By Joe Lawson
(Tybee Island sunrise addict)
16 TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | JULY 2019
Behind the Tape…
By Sgt. Richard Dascall
Happy July everybody! I hope all of you are enjoying the
summer. I don’t know about the rest of you, but this year is
seeming like its way busier than we’re used to. Maybe it’s just
timing or maybe it’s a sign of the times. I guess we’ll see in
future years.
This month I have a good story that happened recently. This is an
example of how in our line of work, circumstances change and
situations evolve rapidly. At about 8am on a Monday, we had a
call come in about a drunk driver coming onto the island. To
most people the idea of someone headed to the beach drunk at
8am on a Monday seems absurd. To us it’s not unbelievable.
So, with this suspected drunk driver, who we were being told
was driving into oncoming traffic and all over the road, we set up
near the bridge to catch this person and get them off the road.
While we were waiting, we were told that the car had just hit the
side of the bridge. As soon as we heard this, we saw the car
coming down the road. Immediately the car started failing to
maintain its lane. We pulled behind it and turned our lights on to
pull the car over.
Sure enough this car wasn’t going to stop for us. They were
speeding up, slowing down, and even jumping the curb and
driving in the median. I’ve been in several car chases in my
career, this was one of the first times where I thought if this car
doesn’t stop, someone is going to get killed. So with that, we did
what’s called a rolling roadblock. One car got in front of the car
and reduced speed, getting the car to slow down. It took us from
the bridge to almost the speed limit sign with the car jumping
the curb and swerving all over the road, but we were able to get
it to a stop.
Once we did this, we got up to the car as quick as we could with
our guns out. As soon as we got there, we realized the driver
wasn’t drunk, but an elderly female experiencing a medical
emergency. Once we realized that, we immediately changed
gears. Our guns got put away and we got an ambulance to come
to us. The woman was clearly dazed and not able to speak
clearly. The ambulance looked at her and immediately loaded her
up to take her to the hospital.
This was one of those situations that reminded us that we have
to stay ready to adjust. Things change and we need to change
with them.
Before I go, I want to congratulate one of our officers on his
recent promotion to shift supervisor. Most people on the island
know our gentle giant, John Paul Price. John Paul was recently
put in charge of C watch. He’s a local guy who started his career
with us. He has always been hard working, humble, and brings a
level of compassion and professionalism to the department that
continuously remains unmatched. So when you see him out and
about, take a second to congratulate him if you can.
As always, be safe and call us if you need us.
lazy sun wondering…about getting up
coffee steam climbing…from my open cup
herring gull swimming…in warm salty air
wet sand consuming…the legs of my chair
sea foam pursuing…those fleet footed birds
my mind just burning…to catch it with words
ocean waves licking…the long vacant shore
a poem is forming… one line, maybe more
the whitecaps flirting…with low flying gulls
this line I’m keeping…those others are culls
dolphins parading…sun tanning their fins
pelicans fishing…with their double chins
cargo ships straining…stacked full of box cars
wake water twinkling…like skies full of stars
shrimpers are hunting…their nets sifting waves
crustaceans hiding… in shallow sea caves
my feet are sucking…down into the sand
my pen is racing…in my writing hand
the light house guiding…the path of my pen
Tybee is strumming… my soul strings again