money Florida man arrested after boogie boarding in hazardous water, running from deputies
PANAMA CITY BEACH − A Florida man who refused to stop swimming and boogie boarding in the Gulf of Mexico during hazardous conditions on Tuesday, then tried to run away from deputies, has been arrested.
Garrison Creamer, a 38-year-old man from Bay County, Florida, where Panama City Beach is located, was arrested after he refused multiple times to get out of the Gulf during double red flag conditions, which indicate a very high hazard and that the water is closed to the public.
The Bay County Sheriff's Office said the incident happened near Beach Access 85 in the Panama City Beach area. Creamer was in the water with a boogie board when deputies arrived.
"As double red flags were posted, swimming conditions in the water were too dangerous for anyone, even with a boogie board," the release reads. "Only those tethered to a surfboard can enter the water during double red flags."
The sheriff's office said Creamer refused to get out of the water after deputies told him to do so, and while a helicopter hovered above him.
"After about 25 minutes, (Creamer) returned to shore, boogie board in hand, and tried to avoid deputies by running through the large crowd that had gathered to watch," the release reads. "Deputies quickly caught up, and though (Creamer) fought, he was taken into custody on the sand dunes."
He was charged with violation of double red flag ordinance, obstruction of justice and resisting and battery on a law enforcement officer.
According to Panama City Beach, violations of double red flag rules can result in a $500 fine for a first offense. Second offenses come with a $1,000 fine.
The arrest comes after two drownings in the last week in the Gulf in Panama City Beach. A retired firefighter from Georgia drowned last Thursday after he tried to save two swimmers who were caught in a rip current, and an Alabama man died Sunday when he also was caught in a rip current while trying to rescue his daughter, authorities have said.
The people they were rescuing all survived, authorities said. There were either single or double red flag warnings in effect at the time of both drownings.
Rip currents are fast-moving currents created by deeper channels in surrounding sandbars. These channels often run perpendicular to the shoreline and cause water to funnel faster out into deeper waters of the Gulf.
SAFETY TIPS FOR BEACHGOERS How to get out of a rip current and more.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Florida man arrested for swimming in dangerous water after warnings
