Laura Decker leaves today

[wheels 543]

She's off today if the weather is favourable.

I know it's a bit of a yawn, but I do wish her the best.

[Guest]

She is not going in the southern ocean so she will probably do fine.

 

But I wonder how this is going to turn out.

Zac Sunderland, once the youngest person ever to sail solo around the world, was recently arrested in his hometown of Thousand Oaks following a run-in with police that he said was based on a misunderstanding.

 

Sunderland, 18, was arrested about 1 a.m. Thursday in the 2200 block of Calle Riscoso on suspicion of resisting arrest, unlawful entry of a house and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, all misdemeanors, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department officials said in a statement today. Sunderland was booked into the Sheriff’s East County Jail and released about seven hours later.

 

Sheriff’s officials allege Sunderland was drinking alcohol in the backyard of a vacant residence with other teens and that when a deputy arrived and told him to stop, he “lowered his shoulder, charged at a deputy and had to be physically subdued as he was apparently trying to escape from the yard,” according to the statement. No one was injured, but authorities allege Sunderland was resisting arrest because his arm came into contact with a deputy’s shoulder, officials said.

 

Sheriff’s officials said evidence at the scene indicated Sunderland provided alcohol for two teen boys at the house, both 17. Those teens were arrested and cited for curfew violations and illegal entry.

 

In a phone interview this afternoon, Sunderland denied the alcohol-related allegations, said he had permission to be at the house and described the run-in with the deputy as a misunderstanding.

 

Sunderland said the house had been rented by the parents of a friend who had recently moved to Virginia with a few days left on their lease, and the friend gave him permission to hang out in the home’s garage. Sunderland said he had no alcohol in his system and he didn’t purchase any for anyone else.

 

After hanging out in the back yard of the home, Sunderland said he went inside to use the bathroom, heard commotion outside and saw someone shining a flashlight. Sunderland said he then jogged down the stairs, heard someone say stop as he was running out a side door, then bumped into another person.

 

“It was a misunderstanding. ... It wasn’t like I was trying to resist at all, I just ran into this guy and didn’t know he was a police officer,” he said.

 

Sunderland said he dropped to the ground and apologized once he realized he had run into an officer.

 

Sunderland said he has valid answers for the charges, and he plans to present evidence in an effort to have them dropped.

 

Sunderland sailed into the history books in July 2009, when he became the youngest person to sail solo around the world. A British sailor beat that record the following month, but he remains the first person under 18 to make the voyage alone.

 

Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/aug/13/ ... z0xH3A4gs5

- vcstar.com