A South Bristol man whose calls to authorities about sailors in distress off Pemaquid Point launched an extensive search in January pleaded guilty to misdemeanor false public report Sept. 18.
John D. Norwood, 37, must undergo mental health counseling and treatment. If he does so and he follows other conditions for a year, the state will dismiss the charge and he will not serve jail time or pay a fine or restitution.
If he violates these conditions, he could face up to 364 days in jail and a $2,000 fine, the maximum penalty for the class D crime.
Norwood called 911 at 5:28 a.m., Friday, Jan. 17 to report a sailboat en route from Massachusetts to Maine was sinking off Pemaquid Point. He told dispatchers two men had been aboard the boat and one had reached shore, but the other remained on board.
The report triggered a wide-ranging search. Dozens of local firefighters and first responders conducted a ground search on the icy rocks at Pemaquid Point, within feet of the treacherous surf.
A 47-foot boat out of U.S. Coast Guard Station Boothbay Harbor and about 10 lobster boats searched the surrounding waters, and an airplane and helicopter out of Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod searched by air.
The Coast Guard suspended the search nearly 10 hours after the 911 call, amid growing doubt about the veracity of the report.
The state and Norwood’s defense attorney agree Norwood did not intentionally perpetrate a hoax – instead, he was experiencing delusions as a result of inadequate treatment of mental health issues.
Assistant District Attorney Andrew Wright was the prosecutor for the state. At Wright’s request, then-District Court Judge Daniel Billings ordered a mental examination by the State Forensic Service.
“We actually had a full forensic evaluation, and the results of the forensic evaluation said Mr. Norwood was not criminally responsible for his actions,” Wright said.
The forensic psychologist who evaluated Norwood concluded “that he had a truly held belief that the events he reported to law enforcement that day were actually happening,” Wright said.
For the state, the focus shifted to preventing a repeat occurrence.
“Our general hope is really to make sure Mr. Norwood is treated in a manner that in the future he’s not going to endanger other people,” Wright said.
The Maine Department of Marine Resources “is on board” with the resolution, Wright said. The department’s Maine Marine Patrol agency investigated the case.
“I think all of the parties have been aware (since) pretty soon after the event happened that Mr. Norwood was not of sound mind while this was happening,” Wright said.
The Coast Guard had a particularly large expenditure due to the involvement of the aircraft and a large, seagoing vessel. The Coast Guard would like to recoup its costs, but also understands the obstacles, Wright said.
“I was pretty much up front with them from the start that the chance of restitution in this case was pretty much zero,” Wright said. Norwood receives Social Security payments for disability, according to court documents.
Norwood expressed regret for his actions when he pleaded guilty, Wright said.
David Paris was Norwood’s court-appointed defense attorney and supports the resolution of the case.
“For Mr. Norwood, it’s the best possible outcome,” Paris said. “From a pragmatic point of view, it’s really the only reasonable outcome.”
Had the matter reached trial, Norwood could have been committed to Riverview Psychiatric Center for an indefinite period of time, an outcome both attorneys agree would have been unjust for a misdemeanor crime.
Norwood is due to appear in Wiscasset District Court Sept. 24, 2015 to determine the final outcome of the case. He is currently free on personal recognizance bail.