EAST DENNIS - (Updated) On Sunday afternoon Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England was notified via a 911 call that a vessel had run aground at Sesuit Harbor in East Dennis with three persons on board.
Rescue crews from Station Cape Cod Canal and Station Provincetown launched at 3:50 p.m. The Dennis Fire Department received the report of the stranded vessel around 5:30 p.m. As the top photo shows, the 34-foot clam dredge, the Ruth & Gail out of Rock Harbor, lay outside the Sesuit Harbor entrance channel hard against the east side of the eastern jetty about 200 yards off Cold Storage beach.
The crew had hopes that the incoming tide would lift the vessel and enable them to motor out of danger The afternoon low tide at Sesuit occurred at 4:47 p.m. Sunday.
The three-man crew of the vessel had deployed its 5,000-pound dredge to stabilize it in the churning surf driven by a northwesterly wind blowing around 20-25 mph. At around 7 p.m. the crewmembers requested removal from the vessel. The US Coast Guard was ready to launch a helicopter if the Dennis Fire Department personnel at the scene thought it too dangerous to attempt a rescue from the jetty. The firefighters determined that a rescue would be too risky and the helicopter was deployed from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod. It arrived on scene around 8 p.m. After circling the vessel and evaluating the situation, the Coast Guard pilot quickly determined that an aerial extraction would be too dangerous and it would be safer for the stranded mariners to abandon the vessel over the rail and into the water, which was anywhere from three to four feet deep at the time with wind-driven waves intermittently adding two to four feet to the depth.
Dennis Firefighters briefly considered carrying a roof ladder out to the vessel and hooking it on the side to enable the crew to climb down the side of the vessel. Ultimately, the Coast Guard decided to drop its rescue swimmer, Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Heximer, on the beach. He waded out to the Ruth & Gail where the stranded crewmen had been instructed to secure a line and toss it over the side. All three men had donned survival suits.
One crewman slid down the rope around 8:30 p.m. and was assisted to shore by the rescue swimmer where he was met by Dennis firefighters. The rescue swimmer quickly returned to the stricken vessel and the remaining two crewmen joined him in the water. Again, Dennis firefighters assisted the men to shore where they were greeted by family and friends. During the course of the rescue the wind had increased and the visibility had deteriorated in blowing snow. A 47-foot Coast Guard rescue boat was on station throughout the rescue about a half mile off shore.
One minor injury was reported and all three men were checked for hypothermia. None required treatment. The rescue swimmer was lifted off the beach around 8:40 p.m. The cause of the grounding has not been released at this time. A salvage effort will be made once the weather improves.
Monday morning found the Ruth & Gail hard aground on Cold Storage beach lying against the Sesuit jetty.
Material from USCG used in report; story and photos by Kevin Morley; move mouse over slide show to reveal controls
Harwich Police continue to investigate Saturday night's baseball bat attack HARWICH - On Saturday evening at approximately 9:40 .p.m, Harwich Police Patrol Officers working the 4-12 shift were dispatched to the Gulf Station on Pleasant Lake Avenue (Route 124) for a subject who was reportedly assaulted.
On arrival, Patrol Officer Keith Lincoln saw a female rendering first aid to a male subject in front of the Gulf Station. Patrol Officer Lincoln noticed a large amount of blood on the victims head and face. The victim told Officer Lincoln that he was assaulted by two black males who were wearing grey hooded sweatshirts and striking him with baseball bats. The suspects allegedly fled on foot south on Pleasant Lake Ave (see original story here).
The victim was transported to Cape Cod Hospital by the Harwich Fire Department for serious but not life-threatening injuries.
A K-9 and a Criminal Identification Officer were requested from the Barnstable County Sheriffs Office to assist in tracking the suspects and to collect evidence. Additional Harwich Police Officers searched the area for the suspects and maintained control of the crime scene.
All police units cleared the scene several hours later. No arrests have been made but police are following several leads. The Harwich Police are working with the Dennis Police to determine the connection between this incident and the earlier shots fired call at the Royal Palace in West Dennis (see original story here).
The Harwich Police were also assisted by members of the Brewster Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police.
Release furnished by Harwich Police; photos by Jake O'Callaghan/CWN
False alarm at TD Bank causes stir
HYANNIS - When an alarm came in for the new TD Bank behind the Cape Cod Mall about 2 p.m., police responded in force.
Fortunately they arrived to find employees telling them it was a false alarm.
Shoppers at the mall paused to see what was going on as police surrounded the bank when they first arrived.
Investigators are trying to link him to four other TD Bank robberies committed by the so-called "hoodie bandit" (click and scroll down)
Photos by Frank F. Paparo/CWN
Yarmouth Police offer tips on reporting drunk drivers
YARMOUTH - Witnessing a drunk driver entering a vehicle, or seeing a possible drunk driver passing you on the roadway and not making the effort to report the incident is tantamount to refusing to call for help after seeing a loaded gun pointed at someone's head.
The second a driver under the influence gets behind that wheel, someone's life is in immediate danger. By reporting a drunk driver, or possible drunk driver, you could potentially save a life.
Reporting drunk drivers helps officials catch offenders. Research suggests that the average first-time Operating Under the Influence (OUI) offender has driven drunk on multiple occasions before getting caught for the first time. Unfortunately, there's a great chance that if a driver seems like they are driving under the influence, he or she probably is. It is vital to report a possible OUI to prevent a possible disaster.
Officials have had a lot of success with citizens reporting drunk drivers. Anyone can and should help report drunk driving or any feasible OUI incident. It's impossible for law enforcement officials to be everywhere at once, but public cooperation in reporting can help further deter drunk driving.
It is important to know the kinds of signs to look for in determining an incidence of driving under the influence. If you see a driver doing any of these unordinary things, call 911 immediately:
• Appearing to be drunk based on gestures, behavior, stance, or posture
• Weaving and/or swerving
• Hitting an object or another vehicle
• Driving off the road
• Driving with the windows rolled down in cold weather
• Passing recklessly
• Braking excessively
• Braking late and abruptly for signs and signals
• Accelerating speed quickly
• Not staying in one lane
• Overturning or making very wide turns
• Speeding excessively or driving way under the limit
• Following too close
• Not turning on headlights at night
• Not using directionals
• Not turning on wipers when it's raining
When calling, be prepared to quickly tell the dispatcher or officer the following:
• Location of the incident
• Direction the vehicle was heading
• Make, model, and color of the car
• License plate number of the vehicle
Furthermore, if you know for certain that a friend or acquaintance has gotten behind the wheel drunk despite advising against it; do not hesitate to contact law officials. There is no need to feel guilty when you could be saving your friend's life and the lives of others. If you wish to make the call anonymously, that is always an option. In this very serious situation, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Release furnished by Yarmouth Police
Rush Limbaugh
Howie Carr
EAST DENNIS
The three-man crew of the vessel had deployed its 5,000-pound dredge to stabilize it in the churning surf driven by a northwesterly wind blowing around 20-25 mph. At around 7 p.m. the crewmembers requested removal from the vessel. The US Coast Guard was ready to launch a helicopter if the Dennis Fire Department personnel at the scene thought it too dangerous to attempt a rescue from the jetty. The firefighters determined that a rescue would be too risky and the helicopter was deployed from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod. It arrived on scene around 8 p.m. After circling the vessel and evaluating the situation, 
Dennis Firefighters briefly considered carrying a roof ladder out to the vessel and hooking it on the side to enable the crew to climb down the side of the vessel. Ultimately, the Coast Guard decided to drop its rescue swimmer, Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Heximer, on the beach. He waded out to the Ruth & Gail where the stranded crewmen had been instructed to secure a line and toss it over the side. All three men had donned survival suits. 
HARWICH
A K-9 and a Criminal Identification Officer were requested from the Barnstable County Sheriffs Office to assist in tracking the suspects and to collect evidence. Additional Harwich Police Officers searched the area for the suspects and maintained control of the crime scene.
HYANNIS
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