USA OUTRIGGER COMPETITION SETS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM USA Outrigger, organizer of national competitions among outrigger canoe clubs from different regions, will launch its Team USA regional development, training and recruitment program as it holds its Iron Champs competition at Mariner’s Point on Mission Bay on Saturday, June 28.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will also be held during the race, hosted by Kai Elua, San Diego’s original outrigger canoe club. More than 1,000 paddlers forming 28 teams will participate in the competition. The development program will be operated by USA Outrigger committee chairman Raymond Vinole, a Pacific Beach resident and a graduate of Mission Bay High School.
USA Outrigger formally launched its national program on Jan. 1 to promote the sport of outrigger canoe racing. USA Outrigger is recognized by USA Canoe/Kayak (USACK), a member of the United States Olympic Committee. For more information, see usaoutrigger.com. PB WOMAN AWAKENED BY SEXUAL ASSAULT
A sleeping Pacific Beach woman was awakened in the early morning hours of June 20 by a man reportedly touching her.
The incident took place about 2:15 a.m. in the area of Felspar and Bayard streets, according to police. The victim told officers she was sleeping in her bed when she discovered the suspect touching her. She screamed and the suspect fled her residence. The suspect was described as a light-skinned black or Hispanic male in his 20s, about 5-feet 10-inches to 5-feet 11-inches tall with a muscular build and short dark hair. He was last seen wearing a white baseball-style cap, a short-sleeved shirt and dark-colored basketball-type shorts. Anyone with information on the assault or suspect is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 or the San Diego Police Department Sex Crimes Unit at (619) 531-2210. PB DUI CHECKPOINT NETS 14 ARRESTS
The San Diego Police Department conducted a DUI checkpoint June 21 in the 2600 block of Ingraham Street in Pacific Beach, resulting in the arrests of 14 people. The checkpoint was conducted from 11 p.m. until 3 a.m. According to police, 1,031 vehicles passed through the checkpoint, with 606 of those vehicles being screened by officers. Of that total, 29 motorists were detained for further evaluation of their sobriety and 14 arrests were made for driving under the influence in or near the checkpoint. A total of 15 vehicles were impounded. The checkpoint was made possible by a California Office of Traffic Safety DUI mini-grant. “The message is simple: drive sober or get pulled over,” said officer Mark McCullough. “Drinking alcohol and driving do not mix,” he said. ” If you plan to consume alcohol, you should also plan not to get behind the wheel of a vehicle or ride a motorcycle.” McCullough suggested the following tips: • Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home.
• If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
• Report drunken drivers by calling 911.
• “Are you OK?” is a ridiculous question. If you think they’ve had too much to drink, they probably have. Help him or her make other arrangements to get home safely. MAN GIVEN TIME SERVED AFTER ARREST IN DRUG STING
A federal judge has sentenced Morgan Dimmitt, 27, to a year in jail — which Dimmitt has already served — after being arrested as the only Mission Beach resident held after a sweeping undercover drug investigation in North County. Dimmitt, who now lives in Utah, was placed on five years’ probation by U.S. District Court Judge William Hayes as part of the credit for time served sentence. Dimmitt pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute and was permitted to return to Utah to work as a roofer.
According to court records, Dimmitt was with co-defendants when one of them tried to exchange a Bentley automobile for cocaine in December 2012. Dimmitt’s attorney said he didn’t know the details of the transaction.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Wheat urged a 30-month federal prison term for Dimmitt. One person arrested at the scene had all charges dismissed, but the one who owned the Bentley is still awaiting sentencing.
A year-long investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department yielded 65 arrests, mostly in Ramona and Poway, in 2013. The law-enforcement sting was called “Operation Mountain Shadow.” Authorities seized 93 pounds of methamphetamine, 56 pounds of cocaine and 14 pounds of heroin during the operation. The sheriff’s department released the names of 73 people. including fugitives and Dimmitt.
—Neal Putnam