Friday, January 06, 2006
Four Marines jailed on Okinawa over holiday weekend: Alcohol fueled alleged housebreaking, vandalism
Crazy stuff in Okinawa - You gotta love the Marines, luckily this doesn't fall under our jurisdiction, but funny none the less. - J
Stars and Stripes Pacific edition, Wednesday, December 28, 2005
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Four Marines on Okinawa landed in Japanese jails over the holiday weekend in three incidents involving alcohol, according to police reports.
A 21-year-old lance corporal assigned to Camp Hansen was taken into custody after he was discovered asleep Christmas morning in the home of a 72-year-old Kin woman, according to a spokesman for the Okinawa Prefectural Police in Uruma.
According to the police report, the woman awoke early Sunday and heard heavy snoring in her son’s room while she watched television. She didn’t think anything of it until her son came home at 5:40 a.m. and they checked the room to find the Marine asleep in her son’s bed.
Police believe the Marine drunkenly entered the house, located near Camp Hansen, after the woman went to bed Saturday night. The Marine was being held in the Uruma precinct lockup Monday pending an investigation into a charge of housebreaking. Police referred the charge to the public prosecutor’s office in Naha on Monday.
On Saturday, a 20-year-old lance corporal from Camp Hansen was taken into custody after he allegedly damaged a sign on top of a taxi in Okinawa City.
According to a police report, the Marine became upset at 4:55 a.m. when the cabbie told him his taxi was not authorized to take him on nearby Kadena Air Base, and he struck the $100 sign with his fist. He was apprehended by police officers patrolling the area and was released from custody Sunday after police referred a misdemeanor charge of vandalism to the prosecutor’s office.
The third incident reportedly began about 1:30 a.m. Saturday in the Kumoji district of Naha, where two lance corporals assigned to Camp Kinser were allegedly involved in another incident involving a cab. According to a police spokesman, a 22-year-old Marine was being arrested for vandalism for jumping up and down on the roof of the cab when his 25-year-old friend grabbed a policeman’s arm. Both appeared to be drunk, a police spokesman said.
Both Marines were held in the Naha police station Monday, the police spokesman said. The first Marine was held on a charge of vandalism involving about $300 damage. The second Marine faces a charge of obstructing justice.
“The Marines on Okinawa take the use of alcohol very seriously,” said 2nd Lt. Clinton Gebke, a Marine spokesman. “We have several programs that we utilize to help express the importance of using alcohol responsibly.”
Stars and Stripes Pacific edition, Wednesday, December 28, 2005
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Four Marines on Okinawa landed in Japanese jails over the holiday weekend in three incidents involving alcohol, according to police reports.
A 21-year-old lance corporal assigned to Camp Hansen was taken into custody after he was discovered asleep Christmas morning in the home of a 72-year-old Kin woman, according to a spokesman for the Okinawa Prefectural Police in Uruma.
According to the police report, the woman awoke early Sunday and heard heavy snoring in her son’s room while she watched television. She didn’t think anything of it until her son came home at 5:40 a.m. and they checked the room to find the Marine asleep in her son’s bed.
Police believe the Marine drunkenly entered the house, located near Camp Hansen, after the woman went to bed Saturday night. The Marine was being held in the Uruma precinct lockup Monday pending an investigation into a charge of housebreaking. Police referred the charge to the public prosecutor’s office in Naha on Monday.
On Saturday, a 20-year-old lance corporal from Camp Hansen was taken into custody after he allegedly damaged a sign on top of a taxi in Okinawa City.
According to a police report, the Marine became upset at 4:55 a.m. when the cabbie told him his taxi was not authorized to take him on nearby Kadena Air Base, and he struck the $100 sign with his fist. He was apprehended by police officers patrolling the area and was released from custody Sunday after police referred a misdemeanor charge of vandalism to the prosecutor’s office.
The third incident reportedly began about 1:30 a.m. Saturday in the Kumoji district of Naha, where two lance corporals assigned to Camp Kinser were allegedly involved in another incident involving a cab. According to a police spokesman, a 22-year-old Marine was being arrested for vandalism for jumping up and down on the roof of the cab when his 25-year-old friend grabbed a policeman’s arm. Both appeared to be drunk, a police spokesman said.
Both Marines were held in the Naha police station Monday, the police spokesman said. The first Marine was held on a charge of vandalism involving about $300 damage. The second Marine faces a charge of obstructing justice.
“The Marines on Okinawa take the use of alcohol very seriously,” said 2nd Lt. Clinton Gebke, a Marine spokesman. “We have several programs that we utilize to help express the importance of using alcohol responsibly.”
