Copyright 2023 WJHG. Climbing, jumping from, or throwing things from balconies is not allowed. While the area has a total population of only 15,000, it attracts more than 4.5 million visitors every year, who come to enjoy the hot summer sun and witness the various unique attractions . You must be 21 years of age to possess or drink alcohol. Riding on the exterior of vehicles, including sitting on the edge of window sills and standing up through the sun roof, is strictly prohibited. We had a plan in place due to a large number of visitors over the weekend. Panama City Beach resident Franis Vanzuelasaid she wants to see more places closedown, so the spring breakers can leave. Dogs are only allowed at the designated Dog Beach west of the City Pier. EVENTS. 02, 2023, 12:48 p.m. | Published: Mar. Riding on the exterior of vehicles, including sitting on the edge of window sills and standing up through the sun roof, is strictly prohibited. But, like most Panama City Beach. This is what they think our beach is. Law enforcement officials in Bay County said Sunday . Crowds remained on the sidewalks, while vehicular traffic was also heavy, he reportedly said. They face a variety of charges, including inciting a riot, felony criminal mischief, disorderly conductand theft during a riot-related disturbance. Be responsible and act within the boundaries of the law. ", 160 arrests, 75 guns seized during PCB spring break, Residents, vacationing families caught in crossfire of PCB chaos, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. With 27 miles of sugar white beaches, this destination gem boasts some of the very best in nightlife, events, and hotel accommodations that will fit within any budget. Don't pretend we live in a world where evil does not exist because time and time again, you see that it does.". Market data provided by Factset. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Ive seen the police presence, and Ive seen the people scatter.. Panama City Beach in Florida makes for the most exciting spring break for being a unique party hub where people are promised to have the time of their life. The riot took place during a chaoticspring break weekend, where officers with the Beach Police Department, Panama City Police Department, Bay County Sheriff's Officeand Florida Highway Patrol confiscated 75 illegal guns and arrested more than 160people. Ive seen the police break them up a few times, Bruyn said. Panama City Beach spring break crowds By WJHG Newsroom Published: Mar. City officials said in a statement on Saturday that they had "expected a large crowd" during the weekend and had formulated a plan, according to several local reports. . From last years season, Robert Santrell Petty, 18, of Ozark, and Danyell Demetrice Reese, 26, of Headland, have outstanding arrest warrants in the coastal city. That is what the businesses are committed to doing this year. Panama City Beach Police Chief J.R. Talamantez said, We are reminding locals and visitors alike. ", According to Panama City Police Department Chief Mark Smith, the visitors toBay County whocaused the weekend'schaos were not traditional spring breakers, but "true criminals.". Talamantez added that law enforcement officialswanted to get ahead of any issues beforethe Memorial Day weekend, saying they already have detected a potential issuefrom a local business owner. Petty is wanted for carrying a concealed firearm; Reese is wanted for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, carrying a concealed firearm, and resisting without violence. "I feel like (law enforcement)haven't handled it too great because there's been like a lot of people getting shot and places getting vandalized," Vanzuela said. The cruise line's updated contract follows a spate of unruly guest behavior across the tourism industry. The small business specializes in golf cart rentals. "Our staff had to continue to accommodate them in the middle of all this destructive behavior, so their safety was put at risk.". See recent changes in local employment, regional inflation and more in these regularly updated charts and maps. We decided to try to invite them back.". Hatteras Beach, North Carolina, which has . We appreciate everyones cooperation and understanding.. More than 100 people congregated in the Walmart parking lot during the riot and wereshown on video taking over the store. and last updated 6:56 AM, Mar 29, 2022 161 people were arrested during what some social media groups were calling "PCB Takeover" at Panama City Beach over the weekend. LikeTrepanier,Volkov said the weekend wasa reminder on why PCB officials have worked tirelessly during the past decade to rebrand the area into a family-friendly destination, and not a hotspot for lawless and rowdy tourists. ", 'What justice looks like in Bay County': 160 arrests, 75 guns seized during PCB spring break, 'Close down spring break': Residents, vacationing families caught in crossfire of PCB chaos. "What . Overnight scooter rentals are prohibited. Talamantez said it is important for parents and teachers to monitor their children online and to have a talk with them about the dangers of online predators. According to PCBPD officials, rioters overturned shopping carts, raked items off store shelves, intimidated other shoppers and employees, and destroyed various areas of the store. No metal shovels are allowed on the sandy beach, and digging holes deeper than two feet is prohibited. SPRING BREAKERS LET LOOSE AMID NATIONWIDE CRIME SPIKE, CURFEW ENACTED IN ONE POPULAR DESTINATION. Is that right? Bruyn said. PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Law enforcement agencies are doing everything they can to make sure spring break doesnt get out of hand again. An image from a press conference livestream shows some of the 75 weapons confiscated during one spring break weekend in Panama City Beach. We have approximately 100 officers from our agency, the Bay County Sheriffs Office, Lynn Haven Police Department, Panama City Police Department, and Florida Highway Patrol along with other surrounding agencies, to provide service to our residents, visitors, and businesses. Q: Do people have the right to take your picture and publish it without your permission? All rights reserved. She's seen some calm spring breaks and some crazy ones. "I think our government and law enforcement are doing the best they can do in situations like this. "They're coming from the regional area. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Longtime Panama City Beach residents and vacationers are speaking out against the violence that plagued their beloved beach town during the weekend. PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) Authorities in Panama City Beach said 75 guns were seized and 161 people were arrested during a rowdy Spring Break weekend. Local law enforcement officials announced Monday that they confiscated 75 illegal guns and arrested more than 160people throughout the weekend. All rights reserved. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. This is a resort town. A slew of rules are enforced throughout the entire month of March. Loud music which disturbs the peace is prohibited. PANAMA CITY BEACH Local law enforcement officials say while they knew weeks in advance that a potentially dangerous event was planned for this past weekend in Panama City Beach, they cannot control who visits the area. It was nothing to do with Spring Break. In one reported incident, an Alabama man was shot in the foot. Published: Mar. Kyle Volkov, owner of Axe Throwing PCB, which also is in the Shoppes at Edgewater plaza, said he decided to close his businesson Saturday night as well. Im just here for the sun and fun.. "Have upfront raw communication with children. "We could have had multiple homicides and we could have ended up in national news with officer-involved shootings," he said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Panama City Beach, FL. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Law enforcement officials said the arrests send a strong message to anyone coming to Panama City Beach with ill intentions. However, other residents believe that more needs to be done by government and law enforcementofficials. Unfortunately, you cant ban people from coming here and you never know the type of people who choose to vacation here," Hooker said. Panama City Beach is limiting the number of people who may gather together on the sand during spring break. 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Any holes dug should be properly filled in for the safety of all. Walmart had closed down and it was just, it was a mess.". The consumption or possession of alcohol is not allowed on the sandy beach during the month of March. PANAMA CITY BEACH Restaurant owner Dave Trepanier, who has lived in Bay County for the past 15 years, described this weekend as "a glimpse into the bad past" of Panama City Beach,. We've seen in the past that there is a large criminal element in that category.". Talamantez and Beach Mayor Mark Sheldon also said that one of the things they are most frustrated about is that this weekend might have scared off first-time visitors who do not know how hard officials have worked during the past decade to rebrand the area into a family-friendly destination. Those arrested for violating any of the above City ordinances will serve a minimum of one night in jail, with the potential to serve up to 60 days and pay a fine of up to $500. 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Talamantez and other PCB officials are determined to avoid a repeat of last years spring break, when more than 160 people were arrested and some 75 weapons were confiscated. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 4 min read PANAMA CITY BEACH Local law enforcement officials say while they knew weeks in advance that a potentially dangerous. Panama City Beach Police warn visitors ahead of Spring Break season. We have to keep a little bit of a closer eye on that during spring break because those kids are on a budget.. Crockett said in her 16 years of living in the area, this is one of the most dangerous spring breaks she's seen. "And then afterwards, it took us over an hour to get home because all the roads were closed down. Music should not be audible from 25 feet away. I still can't wrap my head around it," Hooker said. "We saw a 15.6% increase in March of . Trepanier noted that at about 7 p.m. Saturday, local law enforcement officials asked him to consider closing early so they could close portions of surrounding roads and redirect traffic out of the area. Panama City Beach Council members on Thursday unanimously approved an . 'What justice looks like': 160 people arrested, 75 guns seized during chaotic PCB spring break weekend, 'A glimpse into the bad past': Panama City Beach businesses shut doors amid spring break chaos. And you know, we raise our families here. Officials expect the largest crowds on March 23-27. Alcohol sales will also stop at 2 a.m. during the entire month of March. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. We are a family-friendly destination and we want everyone to be safe.. Although Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said he could notgo into detail on exactly how he and other law enforcementofficialsknew about the event, he said they learned about it through social media. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). I expect a lot of partying and a lot of people having fun and things like that, but didn't expect the level of like vandalism and violence involved.". All rights reserved. "I see it getting worse because law enforcement can't keep up with the crowd," Crockett said. 1:38. "That's not just because we're scared of (those words). Spring break in Panama City Beach: PCB much tamer, but police still battling Spring Break beach booze. Those huge crowds caused roads to be shut down in Panama City Beach. "It has, without a doubt, been bad in the past, but for the first timelocals felt the need to shut down their businesses, which I think says a lot about how out of control this situation truly is," said Hooker, a gift shop manager. In addition, the consumption of alcohol on the sand beach is prohibited at any time for the duration of March. It resulted in non-life-threatening injuries to anunnamed 21-year-old from Alabama. I'd look at these condos that are right across the street from me, and I'd think 'There's families in there who have never been here before. PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) Panama City Beach leaders reminded the public Wednesday that the "Spring Break" laws have begun and will be "strictly enforced." "Our goal is to. Talamantez noted that once his department learned about the "Panamaniac take over event," officers began warning local business owners. Chief Smith says for those looking to come here for spring break, come and have fun but dont break the law. "This act that he wants to bring to town has actually been investigated for a racketeering case involving homicide and money laundering, drug trafficking, a bunch of other things.". Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said that 161 people were arrested and jailed over the weekend and that officers seized 75 guns. In Panama City Beach, Christopher Lawrence Cox, 37, of Louisville, Kentucky, was charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder in the shooting death early Tuesday of a 14-year . "You can rest assured that if you're chatting with an underage person inBay County for the purposes of having sex, you're probably chatting with one of us and if you download child pornography, we're going to know about it. The city and Bay County have had special ordinances in place for Spring Break since 2016. She's seen some calm spring breaks and some crazy ones. Here's the scoop. "Honestly, I was blown away. Caught in the crossfire of chaos were residents and vacationing families. Talamantez said the business owner will get back to him this week about the event. Music heard more than 25 feet away is illegal. The shooting suspect, 22-year-old David Jamichael Daniels, of Mobile, Alabama, was charged with seven counts of attempted . "We went ahead and fed the people who were already in the restaurant, and then we started calling everybody who had later reservations and told them we (needed) to close for safety concerns,"Trepanier said. Police may also temporarily close the beaches if things get out of hand. However, across the Hathaway Bridge in Panama City, some of those same. 160 arrests, 75 guns seized during PCB spring break, One injured in Front Beach Roadshooting, over 50 guns seized, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Some specifically travel to prey on spring breakers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Officers from the Panama City Beach Police Department closed a two-mile stretch of Front Beach Road as of about 9 p.m. Saturday, as spring break crowds flooded the area, Chief J.R.. PCBPD releases statement on spring break crowds, Panama City man charged with DUI after hitting SRO with car, Judge sets bond for 76-year-old woman accused of killing terminally ill husband, Man facing more charges after arrest on active warrants in Jackson County, Chipley falls in title game, South Walton beats Walton on the baseball diamond, Arnold falls on softball diamond. Panama City man charged with DUI after hitting SRO with car, Judge sets bond for 76-year-old woman accused of killing terminally ill husband, Man facing more charges after arrest on active warrants in Jackson County, Chipley falls in title game, South Walton beats Walton on the baseball diamond, Arnold falls on softball diamond. It then remained open on Sunday. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. For us, its a good thing because it scares the bazebras out of people like me, Bruyn said. Bay County Sheriff's. Alcohol sales are not permitted after 2 a.m. and until 7 a.m. Loitering in parking lots or on the shoulder of the roadway is strictly prohibited. There are 15 individuals that came to Panama City Beach and had so much fun here. #1 Best Value of 12 Spring Break Resorts in Panama City Beach. PANAMA CITY BEACH Law enforcement officials saymore than three dozen suspects have been taken off the streets in connection witha spring break riot at a BeachWalmart and a child-sex sting earlier this week. Police Chief J.R. Talamantez warned visitors that the police will take swift action against individuals who come with ill intentions. Florida's beaches and bars are already seeing the first throngs of college students on break, crowding beaches and bars - and worrying public health experts around the country who see the weeks. PANAMA CITY, Fla. - With Miami Beach enforcing a strict curfew to curb a spike in spring break violence in one of the final weeks of the season, Panama City and other Florida beach. At a press conference on Monday, law. Ford, along with Beach Police Chief J.R. Talamantez, said because they cannot prevent who visits the area, it will be up to local businesses to help law enforcement curbany future outbreaks similar to the chaos of this past weekend. Chief Talamantez wants visitors to have a good time but also abide by the following restrictions: Climbing, jumping off, or throwing anything from balconies is illegal. We are a small blip on a big map and we were still able to arrest 24 people and put them in custody for these offenses.". Panama City Beach, Fla. (WMBB) With Spring Break getting into gear, traveling families and tourists are searching for the best place where they can get the most out of the World's Most . 02. As long as they follow through with that, I do not anticipate us passing any more laws.. Southern Comfort Mar 02, 2023, 08:30 ET . On Sunday afternoon, a 21-year-old from Alabama was shot in the foot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Spring breakers play beach games at Panama City Beach. Panama City Beach 17007 Panama City Beach Parkway, Panama City Beach, FL 32413 (850) 233-5100 ADA/EEO/Fair Housing Coordinator . Use the buddy system and never leave your friends. Be responsible and act within the boundaries of the law. PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - The Panama City Beach Police Department told NewsChannel 7 they are continuing to deal with large crowds of spring breakers. We don't need this.". Police break up spring break crowd at Panama City Beach. Marshals Service. PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Two shootings and massive crowds of spring . Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Panama City Beach adopts 'spring break laws' after 'lawless' 2022 season Updated: Mar. Carnival Cruise Line hopes its guests relax and have fun on its fleet up to a point. Published: Mar. In the five-day sting from May 18 to22, police said 13 people were charged withtraveling to meet a child for sexual activity,six were charged with possessing and/or disturbing child pornography,one was charged with felony drug and weapons charges, and one was arrested on a sexual battery charge out of Alabama. She was taking her 4-year-old son to his baseball game when she was ran into a huge traffic jam caused by people fleeing and police being forced to shut down roads to contain the chaos. Between Saturday and Sunday, 75 illegal guns were confiscated and more than 160 people were arrested in Bay County about half of whom were from Alabama. Panama City Beach is anticipating an uptick in visitors during Spring Break next month.