A Keys deputy was arrested after removing a parking boot from his truck, police say
A Florida Keys deputy was arrested early Monday morning in Key West after city police said he removed a wheel that had a parking boot on it from his illegally parked pickup truck, replaced it with a spare — and then drove home.
Edward Alan Swogger, 31, faces a misdemeanor charge of theft. It was unclear whether he has an attorney.
Swogger was released at about 2 p.m. Monday without having to post a bond, jail records show. He could not be reached for comment.
Swogger is “currently employed,” said sheriff’s office spokesman Adam Linhardt, adding he couldn’t say more about the deputy’s job status. Hired by the sheriff’s office in April 2017, Swogger earns $54,652 a year, Linhardt said.
Sheriff Rick Ramsay released a short statement on Swogger’s arrest Monday afternoon:
“I always strive to be transparent whether it is good news or bad news when it comes to this agency,” Ramsay said. “Whatever the case, the public will hear it from me first.”
According to a Key West Police Department report, two officers went to EZ Riders Park ‘n Pedal, a bike rental place and a paid parking lot on Truman Avenue, shortly before 11 p.m. Monday to respond to a call from the owner that an agitated man was trying to remove a boot from his vehicle.
Before the police arrived, the man — who they say is Swogger — was able to remove the booted wheel and replace it with his spare. He subsequently threw the booted wheel in the bed of his pickup and drove off, according to the arrest report.
The owner of the parking lot, Jeremy Carr, gave police Swogger’s license plate number. Police went to his house, the address of which was not contained in the report, where they said the truck was backed into the driveway.
Swogger came outside to talk to the officers, the report states. He told them he was angry that his car was booted and he was becoming increasingly irritated that Carr was taking a long time to tell him how much he would have to pay to remove the device.
He told them he removed the wheel, with the boot on it, and took it with him when he left the lot, the officers said in their report.
“I f___ed up,” he told the officers, according to the report.
However, he added that if they wanted to retrieve the booted wheel, they would have to come back with a search warrant, the officers said.
Another officer brought Carr to Swogger’s house, and he identified him as the person who drove off in the pickup with the boot.
The officers cuffed Swogger and took him to county jail on Stock Island. He refused to tell police where the wheel was, and again, said they would need a warrant if they wanted to go on his property and search for it, according to the report.
Swogger’s father, who owns the property, agreed to let them on his land and ended up helping them find the wheel and boot, the report states.
Carr told police that he charges people a fine of $60 to remove the boot device, which he said is worth around $40.
