Tomato wine bust plays out in First Citizens parking lot

February 19, 2009 by pamliconews

Chris Carawan with North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement confers with Bill Haley Thursday afternoon in the parking lot of Oriental’s First Citizens Bank.

JEFF AYDELETTE
PAMLICO NEWS STAFF

Minutes after Minnesott Beach resident Bill Haley drove away from the Oriental Post Office Thursday afternoon, Police Chief Jeff Casassa and a trio of officers from North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement followed him down Broad Street, eventually pulling Haley over in the parking lot of First Citizens Bank.

Several hours earlier, postal officials alerted law enforcement authorities that a package addressed to Haley was leaking an alcoholic substance.

“I’m from New Hampshire and after growing season we always used to make tomato wine,” said Haley, interviewed immediately after the incident. “My buddies up there sent me a couple of Mason jars for a late Christmas gift. They just told me you can’t do that. I guess the post office saw some of it leaking.”

A.L.E. agent Chris Carawan issued a written warning and took possession of the substance for later testing.

“He told me that if the wine tests out at more than 16 percent (alcohol content), I might be looking at a serious violation,” said Haley, who was clearly shaken by the incident.

The episode, which played out in front of the bank, clearly had crime scene flavor. At least four unmarked law enforcement vehicles were parked within a stone’s throw of Haley’s Chevrolet Trailblazer.

Goose-necking motorists and curious passersby immediately assumed bank robbery, but Casassa called it merely routine police work.

“The postal inspectors asked the Oriental postmaster to alert local law enforcement,” he said. “We set up a stakeout and stopped him when he came out with the package. That’s really all there is to it.”

Haley could face formal charges after the substance is tested. Alcoholic beverages, for which no tax has been paid, are illegal to possess or transport.

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