Aug. 20--LOXAHATCHEE -- Two brothers were arrested on Saturday after they allegedly interfered with a Palm Beach County Fire Rescue crew's efforts to transport a badly injured car accident victim on a Trauma Hawk helicopter.
Vincent Long, 24, and John Long, 22, are accused of interference with a firefighter and resisting arrest without violence and were each released on Sunday from the Palm Beach County jail on $3,000 bail.
The incident began on the 2900 block of Deer Run Boulevard in Loxhatchee after fire rescue responded to a traffic accident that left the driver with life-threatening injuries, according to the arrest report. The streets around the accident were blocked by emergency vehicles so the Trauma Hawk could land.
Police say that Vincent Long drove his Nissan Ultima around the emergency vehicles by leaving the road and then drove "directly" at the helicopter and the firefighters who were working the scene. The actions by the brothers "held up" the firefighters from assisting the injured person, according to police.
The Longs, both of Loxahatchee, were shouting obscenities at the firefighters when a Palm Beach Sheriff's Office deputy arrived at the scene. They refused several commands to get back in their car. The deputy states in the arrest report that he did not make an immediate arrest because he lacked back-up help. Vincent Long is listed in the arrest report as 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds and John Long is 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds.
After a "short while holding up the trauma scene," the Longs got back in their car and drove off without the deputy's permission.
A few minutes later, the Longs returned and shouted obscenities as they drove by. Vincent Long, the driver, was ordered to pull over and did so, although he initially refused to be handcuffed. While the deputy was dealing with Vincent, John Long jumped out of the passenger seat and ran off.
John Long returned "a few moments later," again shouting obscenities but this time not wearing any clothes. Both men were handcuffed and arrested.
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