The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged David Anthony Neff, 41 of Edgewater, Md. on September 27, with reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, hindering and obstructing a police officer, failing to comply with a lawful order, operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol, operating a vessel while impaired by alcohol and attempting to elude a police officer.
NRP received a call about an overturned sailboat with a person clinging to the side of the boat in the South River at 4:15 p.m. NRP, Coast Guard and Anne Arundel County Fire Boat responded to the scene to locate and assist the overturned boat, and once on the scene, the responding units found Neff on the 25-foot sailboat. Neff became belligerent and appeared intoxicated as rescue units attempted to check on his welfare and condition. Neff tried to ram the Anne Arundel County Fire Boat three times with his sailboat. He then ignored repeated calls and orders by NRP and Coast Guard officers to stop his vessel.
Neff continued to flee and evade officers by refusing to drop his sails, while maneuvering his boat back and forth to prevent boarding. Eventually, the sailboat was forcibly boarded by NRP officers while still underway.
Once onboard, Neff struggled with NRP officers and resisted arrest. After Neff was subdued he was taken ashore where he failed sobriety field tests and an alcohol breath test.
Neff’s trial date is scheduled for December 17, 2010 at 1:15 p.m. in Maryland District Court in Annapolis.
