Cape Wide News for Thursday March 7th, 2013

Continuing Storm Team coverage of a major Coastal Storm 

In the scene above, the bulkhead at the end of Wharf Lane in Yarmouthport takes a beating about a half hour after high tide Thursday morning. Sandy Neck is in the background. Photo by Kevin Morley/CWN

Two rescued from car in water in Wellfleet

^{Firefighters secure a boat used to rescue two people from their partially submerged vehicle in Wellfleet.}
WELLFLEET - Two people are lucky to be alive after their vehicle stalled in deep water on the Lieutenant's Island Bridge in Wellfleet about 7 p.m. Wellfleet firefighters assisted by Eastham braved the rough waters to reach the vehicle and rescue the two occupants who were reportedly in water up to their waist for over a half-hour. Both were taken to Cape Cod Hospital for evaluation of hypothermia but are expected to be okay. The bridge routinely floods at high tide. The storm tide was no match for the car. Photo by Tim Caldwell/CWN
 

Storm coverage continues below this breaking news:
 

Sovereign Bank in Dennis held up at gunpoint

DENNIS - At approximately 2:25 p.m. on Thursday, Dennis Police were notified of a holdup alarm at the Sovereign Bank located at 423 Route 134 in South Dennis. Upon arrival of officers at the bank, they were informed by employees that they had just been held-up by a white male who had displayed a handgun. The suspect took an undetermined amount of cash from the bank, fleeing on foot to a vehicle parked across the street, where he entered the passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle described as an older 4 door sedan color maroon, possibly a Buick or similar make, was last seen travelling southbound on Route 134 in the direction of Upper County Road. No one was hurt in the robbery. The investigation is on-going and anyone with information is asked to contact the Detective Matt Turner at the Dennis Police Department 508-394-1315. The traffic stop pictured above took place on Route 28 westbound in West Dennis near Sundancer's Restaurant. As it turned out, the vehicle was not involved in the robbery. The same bank branch was robbed on September 27th of last year.
Material from Dennis Police used in this report; photo by Kevin Morley/CWN  

CWN Storm Team coverage of the major coastal storm

1:00 p.m. update: The Sandwich boardwalk was submerged at high tide this morning with water reported up to the harbormaster's office. Several streets were also flooded.

This photo is the scene from East Harwich where a seasonal home was surrounded by the incoming tide at Pleasant Bay. Nantucket officials are warning residents there that the Friday morning high tide has the potential to be quite dangerous and could be similar to or even worse than the this mornings’ tide which left some areas inundated with 1-3  feet of water. WInds have gusted to 63 MPH on the island and some evacuations could become necessary. Severe beach erosion is likely through Saturday Morning.
Top photo by CWN associate Andrew Jones; lower photo courtesy of Alan Pollock/Cape Cod Chronicle

12:00 noon update: NSTAR reports 155 without power on the Cape with Harwich leading the list at 105. Yarmouth Fire reports that they responded to a reported structure fire at 49 Putting Green Circle shortly after 10 a.m. Lt. Inspector Armstrong was first on location and reported an electrical fire below the meter entering the basement. Lt. Bob Kittila of Engine 43 directed crews to use a Carbon Dioxide fire extinguisher to knock down the fire. Town of Yarmouth Electrical Inspector Ken Elliot quickly arrived on location and secured the interior electrical panel. NSTAR arrived within 15 minutes and cut the power to the house at the pole. Fire Crews extinguished the fire and checked for extension. House and basement was cleared of smoke using natural ventilation. The residents did not suffer any injuries. Media release and photo furnished by Yarmouth Fire

7:30 a.m. update: Reports of snow mixing in with the rain on the Upper Cape. It appears more snow may develop this afternoon and evening as temperatures fall. Driving may be difficult. Several cars are already reported to have slid off Route 3 on the South Shore this morning. NSTAR reports 124 customers out in Sandwich with scattered outages elsewhere.

6:00 a.m. update: NSTAR reports 159 customers without power on Cape Cod.

3:00 a.m. update: 2,000 customers in the dark in Falmouth and Mashpee.

1:00 a.m. update: 843 NSTAR customers without power in Falmouth at this hour. Late Wednesday evening some 800 customers were out in Barnstable after a limb came down on wires. An amateur radio operator reported a 55 MPH wind gust in Harwichport.

HYANNIS - Barnstable Police report that on Wednesday at approximately 2:55 p.m,, members of the Barnstable Street Crime Unit (SCU) were on patrol in the village of Centerville. SCU members Mass State Police Sgt Steve Lopes and Barnstable Deputy Sheriff Michael Huse were traveling on Route 28 in the area of Lumbert Mill Road. They observed a blue Toyota Prius that had been reported stolen in Harwich on February 20th.  Huse confirmed the vehicle’s stolen status and contacted BPD Dispatch.  Several marked BPD Patrol Units and other SCU members responded to their location. The vehicle was stopped on Lumbert Mill Road. 

The operator was identified as Kevin Robie, 22, of South Yarmouth. He was placed under arrest and secured with handcuffs. Also in the vehicle were a 21-year-old female from West Yarmouth in the front seat and her two-year-old daughter in the back seat.