Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

Intoxication leads to Atlantic Beach police chief's arrest

Atlantic Beach police chief Randy Rizzo said he drank "too many beers," and that led to his arrest Wednesday morning by Horry County police outside a pool hall.

Rizzo, 39, of Conway, is charged with public disorderly/public intoxication and later the same day was suspended from his job without pay, according to Town Manager William Booker.

"That officer had every right to charge me,'' said Rizzo, leader of Atlantic Beach's four-person police department. "I'm guilty. I'm not going to deny the fact. I'll pay like anyone else."

Rizzo was arrested soon after an officer, Scott Calderwood, saw Rizzo drive his truck in a parking lot. Rizzo said he told the officer he was moving his vehicle to a safer place and had called his wife to pick him up, but argued with another officer leading to his arrest.

"I was trying to be a good Samaritan and not do anything illegal," Rizzo said. "Unfortunately, the officer got upset with me."

The arrest is one in a series involving high-ranking officials from the small town in recent years, including four arrests of Mayor Retha Pierce in the last two years.

Rizzo was released from J. Reuben Long Detention Center after he paid bail of $262.

Booker said he spoke with Rizzo Wednesday before suspending him.

"He told me he was guilty of having too much to drink," Booker said. "He said he was guilty. People here are pretty disappointed this happened."

"I would expect Booker to make the right decision," Atlantic Beach Town Councilman Donnell Thompson said after learning about the arrest.

Rizzo is suspended at least through the weekend.

Booker said he plans to talk with Horry County officials about the incident before determining the length of the suspension.

"They just have to determine if I can do this job because of this charge," Rizzo said.

Despite telling officers at the scene he was drinking, Rizzo was not given a field sobriety test, said Sgt. Robert Kegler of Horry County police.

"It's officer discretion," said Horry County Police Chief Johnny Morgan.

Booker said he would determine whether to ask Horry County police to help with patrols after talking with the town's remaining officers.

Calderwood reported he saw Rizzo walking from Break Room Billiards to the parking lot of the Food Lion at S.C. 544 and Myrtle Ridge Road at 1:45 a.m., according to an incident report.

Rizzo was "extremely unsteady on his feet and appeared almost to fall," the report shows.

Rizzo got into a truck near the Sonic on S.C. 544, and Calderwood approached him. Rizzo then drove the vehicle to Break Room Billiards, police said.

Calderwood reported that he said "no" when asked if he had too much to drink. Rizzo then began slurring his words and told the officer he had been drinking.

Rizzo twice asked Calderwood if he knew who he was, and the officer replied that he did and "it didn't matter," according to the report.

The report shows that Rizzo told Calderwood he would call his wife to pick him up, but Rizzo later got back in the truck and drove past the officer's vehicle.

Rizzo disputes he was in his vehicle twice, and that's what led to the argument and his arrest.

"I didn't get in my vehicle twice," Rizzo said.

Rizzo said he was moving his truck closer to Break Room Billiards so it would be safer there overnight.

The officer's supervisor arrived after Rizzo was stopped, and Rizzo became "loud and upset" before he was arrested.

"I would have charged me just like anyone else," Rizzo said.