Whistle blown on youth basketball parent’s poorly worded email

Excerpts from the Marblehead police log of Wednesday, Jan. 25 through Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Consistent with state law, Marblehead Police have adopted a policy of not providing to media outlets reports related to incidents related to domestic violence, juveniles and matters that remain under investigation.

Wednesday, Jan. 25

2:18 a.m. Officers investigated a 911 hang-up call on Prospect Court and filed a report.

2:43 a.m. Officer investigated a report of a missing person on Maverick Street and filed a report.

8:55 a.m. Police received a report from the Marblehead Youth Basketball Association expressing concern about what it said was the erratic behavior of a parent of one of its players. In an email, the parent had used language that the organization felt was threatening. One statement read, “I am going to shoot you straight, the MYBA needs new blood.” Another stated, “I don’t care what you guys think about me. My gun is ‘off-safety’ and I will tell you exactly what I think.” The officer reviewed the rest of the email and found no reference to any specific threat or any other language that would suggest an act of violence was imminent. The email concluded with the parent saying that he was fine if the league did not want to be associated with him and that he would be happy to use his time elsewhere. Officer spoke with board members, who told them that the parent had been sending them email at all hours of the day and night and that last season he needed to be suspended from coaching because of an altercation with a referee. They added that they also wanted to address his behavior at games, to which he had been bringing a boombox to play before the game and during halftime. The board members wanted the constant emails to stop and for the parent to bring his son to the games and just watch and cheer alongside other parents. The officer advised the board members about their rights to seek harassment prevention orders and suggested that they should put their concerns in writing to the parent, outlining any consequences for violating the league rules. Before the officer spoke to the parent, the officer did a search and found that the man did not have any weapons registered to him and that he had never held a firearms license. After the officer reached the man by cell phone, he came to the station to speak with the officer. The man acknowledged writing the email and said that he never intended to put anyone in fear and that he had chosen his words poorly. He said he does not own a gun or intend to cause anyone harm. As the discussion continued, the man noted the success he has had coaching other town sports. He acknowledged playing music on the boombox but said that he always gets permission from the teams’ coaches before he does so. The man defended the volume of his email, suggesting that it was just how his generation communicates, and explained the timing of the email as well. He added that he disagreed with the decision to suspend him from coaching and wanted it noted that he had come right down to the police station when asked and is always willing to cooperate and work through things respectfully and openly. The officer reiterated the league’s wishes to the man and suggested that he devote his time and efforts to the youth sports where he had experienced no conflict. The officer then updated the MYBA board on his conversation with the parent and advised the board to report any future concerns to the police.

10:08 a.m. Officer investigated the report of a possibly stolen prop on Jersey Street and filed a report.

2:26 p.m. An officer spoke in the station with a woman who had filed for Social Security several days earlier and then a day later noticed that she had received a change of address from the post office. She was advised to contact the credit agencies and let the police know if anything else out of the ordinary happened.

2:48 p.m. Officers responded to the scene of a head-on collision on Humphrey Street at Brookhouse Drive. There were no injuries reported, but both vehicles had to be towed.

8:36 p.m. Officers investigated a report of suspicious activity on Orchard Street.

9:14 p.m. Officers investigated a general complaint on Pleasant Street and filed a report.

Thursday, Jan. 26

1:11 a.m. Officers investigated a hit-and-run on Pleasant Street and filed a report.

10:07 a.m. An officer responded to the scene of a minor crash on Atlantic Avenue and filed a report.

10:12 a.m. A dead skunk was reported on West Shore Drive and Shorewood Road.

12:37 p.m. The school resource officer assisted staff at the Village School.

1:42 p.m. Officers assisted the driver of a tractor-trailer on Front Street.

5:07 p.m. An officer was dispatched to Farrell Court to speak with a resident about her identity possibly having been stolen. The resident told the officer that someone had tried opening a bank account and a phone line with AT&T using her Social Security number. Resident then told officer she had a caretaker coming over daily a few months ago to help around the house whom she had to fire because there had been a few incidents where the resident had caught the caretaker stealing money out of her wallet and also stealing the drugs prescribed to her. The resident also had her Social Security card inside her wallet both times she had caught the caretaker stealing money from her. The officer then asked the resident what made her so sure that the caretaker was the person opening the accounts in her name, and resident said the bank and AT&T had told her the person opening the accounts was from Salem, which is where the caretaker is currently living. The officer made sure the resident called Social Security to have her number flagged and also told her to call the station anytime someone tried opening another account using her Social Security number. The officer also said that police would investigate the matter further.

5:53 p.m. Officer investigated a report of a person who might have been intoxicated on Russell and Cowell streets. The person could not be located.

Friday, Jan. 27

12:19 a.m. An officer investigated a report that a Creesy Street resident had received annoying phone calls and filed a report.

12:21 a.m. Officers investigated a report of a person out of control on School Street and filed a report.

7:40 a.m. Officers responded to the scene of a vehicle crash on Pleasant Street and Bubier Road.

10:29 a.m. An officer investigated a general complaint on Washington Street and filed a report.

11:14 a.m. A past hit-and-run was reported on Lafayette Street.

1:09 p.m. Harassing calls were reported on Field Street.

1:22 p.m. An officer assisted with property destruction on Woodfin Terrace.

1:40 p.m. An officer assisted with a syringe found on Ocean Avenue.

4:45 p.m. Officers assisted with a report of harassment on Ocean Avenue.

7:47 p.m. Officers assisted a Creesy Street resident and filed a report.

8:32 p.m. An officer investigated a report of ice in the area of Shepard and Jersey streets.

9:24 p.m. An officer investigated a report of larceny, forgery or fraud on Lincoln Park and filed a report.

Saturday, Jan. 28

1:02 a.m. A 47-year-old Norwood man was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a suspended license and negligent driving on Beacon Street at Bradlee Road.

3:23 a.m. Officers investigated a noise complaint on Creesy Street.

9:27 a.m. A wallet was found on Lafayette Street.

12:10 p.m. An officer investigated the report of an object in the road on Pleasant and Smith streets.

2:06 p.m. Officers investigated a general complaint on Humphrey Street and filed a report.

5:54 p.m. An officer investigated a general complaint on Edgemere Road and filed a report.

Sunday, Jan. 29

10:18 a.m. An officer investigated a report of an open gate on Pleasant Street.

12:25 p.m. Officers investigated a report that a ring had been stolen on Humphrey Street and filed a report.

2:41 p.m. An officer investigated a possible violation of a no-trespass order on Sewall Street and filed a report.

4:30 p.m. An officer investigated a report of suspicious activity on Humphrey Street.

9:30 p.m. Officers assisted in the response to a chimney fire reported on Bassett Street.

Monday, Jan. 30

4:26 a.m. An officer investigated a general complaint on Creesy Street and filed a report.

9:17 a.m. An officer investigated after a caller reported an inability to access a crosswalk button on Village Street.

9:25 a.m. An historian taking photographs was reported on Bubier and Wyman roads.

10:11 a.m. An officer investigated a general complaint on Humphrey Street and filed a report.

2:34 p.m. An officer responded to the scene of a vehicle crash on Atlantic Avenue and filed a report.

3:30 p.m. An officer investigated a report of suspicious activity on Longview Drive and filed a report.

4:36 p.m. An officer investigated a report of a sinkhole on Turner Road.

7:36 p.m. Officers investigated a disturbance on Atlantic Avenue and filed a report.