Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/135276
Sarasota News Leader June 7, 2013 Page 81 Siesta Seen cer I have met. And believe me, I have met a his name he [risked] the chance of going to jail for obstruction," McGregor wrote. few of them through the years! That was why I was especially distressed last week to see McGregor's name in a very unflattering light in regard to a Siesta Beach incident over Memorial Day weekend. Once I read the actual Sheriff's Office report about what happened, I realized many of the facts had been, shall we say, misrepresented. At that point, the report notes, Pitzer said the birds belonged to his young daughter and that he would give McGregor her name and date of birth. "I told him that he was in possession of the birds and that he would be the one who gets the citation," McGregor added in the report. Once again, Pitzer told McGregor he would give the deputy his daughter's information since the parrots were hers. And, once more, McGregor advised that Pitzer would be subject to arrest unless he complied with the deputy's request. "He once again refused," the report says. Just before 11:30 a.m. on Memorial Day, May 27, McGregor was on patrol near Beach Access 7 on Siesta Key when he saw a man later identified as Wade N. Pitzer, 54, of Land O'Lakes with a parrot perched on one shoulder and another Pitzer was showing to someAt that point, McGregor called for Sgt. Scott one at the beach, the official report says. Osborne — leader of the Sheriff's Office's McGregor advised Pitzer that animals are not Community Policing Station on Siesta Key allowed on the beach. "[Pitzer] stated that — and Deputy Jason Strom as back-up, the they were birds, and that it was a 'ridiculous report notes. When they arrived, the report law,'" the report continues. continues, "they observed the defendant not Then McGregor asked Pitzer to remove the giving [McGregor] his name and attempting birds from the beach. This was just a verbal to walk away several times saying that he was warning, the report says. "[Pitzer] continued getting his things and leaving." to argue the fact that the birds should be al- McGregor told Pitzer not to leave because he lowed to stay," the report adds. was conducting an investigation. When Pitzer yet again began to walk away, Osborne and After Pitzer kept disagreeing with McGreStrom put him in handcuffs. Then Pitzer said gor over the law, McGregor said he needed he would give McGregor the information so Pitzer's name so he could give him a written the deputy could write him the citation. "I [adwarning, the report goes on. "The defendant vised Pitzer] it may be too late at his point," [Pitzer] stated that he did not need to give me McGregor notes in the report. his name," the report says. "I then advised the defendant that at this time I would be issuing When Pitzer's wife and daughter realized him a civil citation for the birds on the county Pitzer might go to jail, they became upset, the beach and that if he refused again to give me report adds. Therefore, McGregor talked to