Elaine Forbes, the city manager of Sausalito, California, faces misdemeanor charges for allegedly breaking into a 66ft yacht while drinking and attempting to steal the vessel.
Forbes was arrested on the morning of 18 July after police responded to a noise disturbance. According to police, Forbes had “apparently broken into” a three-story yacht, where she was consuming alcohol.
Details of the incident
Forbes, who previously served as director of the Port of San Francisco, caused a disturbance on the yacht. The boat’s owner, Andy Cunningham, told ABC7 that she found a bottle of maraschino cherries dumped into a shoebox and four empty bottles of wine.
“She had the horn going, the windshield wipers going, the spotlight going,” Capt Bill Aubrey, who called 911 on Forbes, told ABC7. Forbes had been living on a houseboat near the marina where she was arrested, ABC7 reported.
Charges reduced to misdemeanors
Police initially charged Forbes with felony burglary, and her bail was set at $50,000. However, prosecutors have since reduced the charges to misdemeanors for loitering, squatting and petty theft, according to Sgt Adam Schermerhorn, a spokesperson for the Marin county sheriff’s department. Schermerhorn noted that yacht theft is not common in Marin county.
City council actions and family statement
The Sausalito city council placed Forbes on leave last week during a closed meeting, according to NBC News. The city council is evaluating her job performance at a meeting today. She was appointed to her position three weeks ago.
“As the facts become clearer and Elaine obtains legal and healthcare counsel in the coming hours and days, we hope people will respond with compassion, patience and respect for her and her family during an extraordinarily difficult time,” spokesperson Sam Singer said in a widely circulated statement issued on behalf of the Forbes family.
