A PORT CHARLOTTE MAN WAS ARRESTED WEDNESDAY AFTER HE OPENED A BEER IN PUBLIC WHILE A CHARLOTTE COUNTY DEPUTY WAS ARRESTING HIS FRIEND ON A WARRANT. DEPUTIES WERE CALLED TO A SERVICE STATION PARKING LOT AT BAYSHORE ROAD AND EDGEWATER DRIVE JUST BEFORE 9PM AFTER A CALLER SAID THERE WERE SEVERAL HOMELESS PEOPLE ARGUING LOUDLY IN THE AREA. DEPUTIES LATER LEARNED THAT ONE OF THE MEN, 47 YEAR OLD JOHN EWING, HAD AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT OUT OF DESOTO COUNTY. EWING REPORTEDLY TOLD HIS FRIENDS THAT HE WANTED TO HAVE A BEER BEFORE GOING TO JAIL, AND THAT’S WHEN 48 YEAR OLD JOHN KATES PICKED UP AN UNOPENED CAN OF BEER AND OPENED IT, DESPITE BEING WARNED NOT TO DO SO. KATES WAS CHARGED WITH VIOLATING THE COUNTY’S OPEN CONTAINER ORDINANCE, AS WELL AS POSSESSION OF LESS THAN TWENTY GRAMS OF MARIJUANA AND POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. KATES WAS RELEASED ON HIS OWN RECOGNIZANCE.
