USCG — UCMJ Proceedings

[BuoyJumper]

Coastie skipper arrested after Key West bar brawl

THE NAVY TIMES
By Patricia Kime - Staff writer
Posted : Friday May 18, 2007 8:30:25 EDT
   
The commanding officer of a Boston-based Coast Guard cutter was arrested and charged with assault Tuesday following a scuffle during a port call in Key West, Fla.

Cmdr. Michael Sabellico, 42, of Scituate, Mass., the skipper of the 270-foot medium endurance cutter Escanaba, was arrested May 15 by Key West police around 1:15 a.m. The Coast Guard has temporarily reassigned him, officials said.

According to the police report, Sabellico and several crew members were drinking at establishments along the island’s famed Duval Street when they argued with a bartender at an Irish pub.

Sabellico and the crew members allegedly were loitering in an alley when the bartender at Irish Kevin’s asked them to leave. They left as requested, but according to the report, Sabellico returned and scuffled with the man. He then left the scene. Sabellico was apprehended later and charged with simple assault.

The Coast Guard is conducting an administrative investigation into the incident. According to Atlantic Area spokesman Lt. Rob Wyman, Sabellico has been reassigned temporarily to the Coast Guard’s 1st District but he remains the Escanba’s commander.

Cmdr. Chris Austin, currently the commanding officer of the Portsmouth, Va.-based Coast Guard cutter Northland, has assumed temporary command of the Escanaba while the ship returns to its home port.

NAVY TIMES ARTICLE
CGC ESCANABA MISSION

[BuoyJumper]

I guess we will just have to wait and see just what went on here.  Sounds a little like the good old days when I was in we used have bar room scuffles quite frequently.  Sometimes if you didn't come back to the ship bruised and roughed up a little, ya wondered if you had fun on liberty. Unfortunately in this day and age if you're accused of something you're relieved of command and presumed quilty.  Just shouldn't be that way. Use to be back in the day that if you had a little scuffle ... it was no big deal if nobody got hurt.  Just doesn't seem right to me to ruin a man's career for havin a little confrontation with a civilian.

ONE THING THAT BUGS ME ... The story is titled, "Coastie skipper arrested after Key West bar brawl" and you go and read the story and the Commander was arrested for having a scuffle with the bartender and was charged with simple assault.  A SCUFFLE is a long way from a BAR BRAWL so now we have the Navy Times embelishing and sensationalizing stories.  WHAT A CROCK!  

[debk]

I made a comment about this on the Navy thread.

I've been to Irish Kevin's. It is a fun bar, but not one of the super rowdy ones.

What I can't figure out is what they were doing in the alley. There isn't a logical reason to go there, nor is it easy access.

[Salba]

Unfortunately, regardless of the facts or outcome of the investigation/charges; this is the end of the Commander's career.

Not quite what I remember of the "good old days"... although a few CO's participated in beer busts or other related/similar type events...  bar hopping and participating in brawls was not in my experience base with CO's...

Now there were a few JO's and occassional LCDR's...  and occassionally an XO/CO coming back with a load on - that was in the good old days... but again, not bar hopping or what not with the regular crew.

Just my rememberances...

Best Wishes

[XShipRider]

He must hold himself to the highest standards.  My guess is he'll ultimately be relieved.  It would be difficult to hold his sailors to a high standard if the "old man" was once arrested on alcohol related charges.

I served with his LT brother Steve in Hawaii's JRCC in the early 90s.

[Salba]

XShipRider:

CDR Steve Sabellico is outgoing XO here... been trying to determine if in fact there was a relationship bwtn the Mike and Steve... didn't want to say anyting to XO based on assumption... do you know for fact they are bothers???

Please advise.
Best Wishes

[edgykatid]

Well, all I can say is stuff happens.    The actions of one aren't the definition of all.  I'll bet the Commander is a pretty good feller when he doesn't have his drink on.

[EX-CG-GM]

Well, all I can say is stuff happens.    The actions of one aren't the definition of all.  I'll bet the Commander is a pretty good feller when he doesn't have his drink on.

heck, sounds like he's a pretty good guy WITH his drink on.

It didn't used to be THAT unusual for officers to end up involved in brawls.  I posted a story on here somewhere about a brawl in Ketchikan the included at least one ifficer, some CPO'S and a BUNCH of enlisteds.  No one was punsihed.  Damn shame the CG is now willing to relieve this man of command before the facts of the story are known.

[debk]

Key West likes partying.....doesn't like brawling...

[Intel]

Yeah, I've been to Irish Kevin's a bunch of times. The owner is former Navy, so the squadron zoomies like to hang there (when they're not at Sloppy Joe's or the strip clubs). The article didn't mention whether the owner was the bartender mentioned. I've not ever seen issues between any Navy personnel at Irish Kevin's and any of the bar's personnel....BUT, I didn't hang there every damn night. Just weekends...     

I'm not implyin' anything, by the way. Just kinda wondering if there's a tendency of friction between Coasties and Squids, particularly in bars?

Just a thought.

[vftb]

Just kinda wondering if there's a tendency of friction between Coasties and Squids, particularly in bars?

  The good-natured ribbing can take a bad turn as the alcohol flows and some person doesn't want to let it drop (there's one in every crowd).  Hard to see a CO get involved in something like that though  ??? ???

[BuoyJumper]

HANS ... I'm not sure itoxication is an issue in this instance.  If being intoxicated were an issue I'm sure the arresting officer would have included the charge public intoxication on the arrest report. We'll just have to wait and see, I just hope the brass doesn't bow to the PC crowd and make a big deal out of this and be overly zealous about administering discipline.

INTEL ... Back in the day that if you had a little scuffle ... it was no big deal if nobody got hurt. Just doesn't seem right to me that a good man's career might hang in the balance because he's being accused of having a little confrontation with a civilian and I say little because if it had been much more than a push, CDR. Sabellico would likely have been charged with assault and battery and not simple assault.  My guess is that this bar tender was likely saying something derogatory about the military and the Commander went back to try and smooth over the situation and some heated words resulted in someone being pushed or slapped ... these days it's PC to be anti-war/anti-military.  We'll just have to wait and see just what went down.

[LTGunner]

I posted the recent Navy Times article on the US Navy Forum too, its not just CG COs that are getting stung by the "B"s....


5 COs fired in 5 weeks, and more may follow...

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/05/navy_skippers_070519w/

[debk]

You will find more if you go back about 2-3 months....

[bill12353]

Sounds a lot like housecleaning than anything else...  along with incompetence and stupidity mixed in on the part of some commanders.