A boat ran aground on the sands of Seal Beach on Wednesday night, Aug. 24.
The man driving the boat was originally charged with theft and being drunk. However, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Web site, he was released on Aug. 26 at 9:37 p.m. Previously, the Sheriff’s Department Web site said John Frederick Maxedon was scheduled to appear in court on that date. However, over the weekend the Web site was updated to say that Maxedon was “not arraigned in time.”
Marine Safety (Lifeguard) Department Chief Joe Bailey received a call from the Seal Beach Police Department at 10:30 p.m., informing him that a boat had run aground.
When he got there, Bailey said the boat was half on and half off the beach. He said it was a 32- or 36-foot Cabo.
“It’s a really good boat,” Bailey said.
Bailey said he asked a drunk man on the boat to get off. The boat driver did not get off the boat.
As Bailey and law enforcement personnel waited, the man on the boat gunned the engine.
Bailey said the boat rocked back and forth, then stopped.
Bailey said he didn’t know if the rudders and propellers were still on the boat after that.
Lt. Chris Pierce of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and Bailey went aboard the boat. Lt. Pierce shut off the engine. Because the boat was in the water, the incident was under the jurisdiction of the Harbor Patrol, which in this area is a service of the Sheriff’s Department.
Pierce and Bailey looked for evidence of insurance for the boat when they observed a broken lock and quickly concluded that the boat driver was not the boat owner. The boat driver, Maxedon, was arrested. Bailey said the boat owner was contacted. The boat was towed off the beach on Aug. 25. Bailey did not know where the boat was towed to, but said he imagined it was taken to a boat yard.
