Ordinance likely in wake of beach brawl

"That would reduce the potential and the temptation to use bottles as weapons or missiles if fights break out," said Don Lane, the Forest Service's supervisory recreation forester at the public beach near Round Hill.

Lane, who has lived and worked at Nevada Beach since 1971, told The (Gardnerville, Nev.) Record-Courier that celebrants have gotten rowdier in the last few years.

Lane estimated there were nearly 10,000 people on the half-mile beach Saturday night.

"Some young kids were getting more mouthy, pushy and rowdy as the day progressed. The lines were 20-deep at the bathrooms, but you don't have to be rude, crude and lewd," he said.

In the past, bottles have only been a source of litter, he said. "But Saturday night I saw the officer next to me take a bottle to the side of his head."

Lane said he was not sure who would take the lead role in adopting the ordinances banning bottles on the beach.

"The Douglas County commissioners could pass an ordinance that the deputies could enforce, and the Forest Service could also pass an ordinance that Forest Service officers could enforce," he said. "The best solution would be for both to pass ordinances that would overlap."

Sgt. Lance Modispacher of the Douglas County sheriff's office said Tuesday that he was hit in the back by a flying bottle during Saturday's fracas.

"People were randomly throwing bottles, it was dangerous," Modispacher said. "Reserve Deputy Fred Sender was the one who was hit in the face. He had a headache and filed a medical claim, but he's okay. An ordinance would be a considerable help to us, also beefing up manpower. We'd like to be prepared for Labor Day."

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