Bailing out the boss

Marisa O’Neil

By 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Costa Mesa Police had four arrest warrants in

hand for some of the city’s top officials.

City employees, with at least a $20 donation, called in the

warrants to have their bosses arrested on “Executive Jail Bail” day.

Once incarcerated, the executives had to bail out with double the

amount that got them behind bars in the first place, with all the

money going to the United Way and Community Health Charities of

California for the city’s annual fundraising campaign.

But the word was out, and some folks were on the lam Thursday

morning.

“We’re playing cat and mouse,” Sgt. Marty Carver said, his

handcuffs ready for the first victim.

Carver and police volunteer Fred Gackler headed over to City Hall,

where they found wanted man Marc Puckett, the city’s treasurer,

hiding out next to a soda machine in the break room.

The look on his face showed his resignation. He knew he’d been

pinched by the coppers.

Police cuffed his hands in front and marched him through the

finance department for all to see, then out the back door. A group of

schoolchildren taking a tour of City Hall watched in wonder as Carver

and Gackler led the fugitive back to the police station.

Upstairs, Carver took a mug shot of Puckett behind a cardboard

“jail” door and led him into the conference room, which doubled as

the executive jail. Burt Morgan, the chief plans examiner for the

city, was already incarcerated and making calls to round up his $40

bail.

Puckett, meanwhile, had come prepared. He pulled $60 out of his

pocket, handed it over to the warden immediately and walked out a

free man.

“I went and drew some money out,” Puckett said. “I knew they were

going to get me sometime this morning.”

Next came the arrest of Colleen O’Donoghue, assistance finance

director, who had watched with relief as Puckett was led away.

One of their own at the Police Department, Capt. Tom Warnack,

followed shortly after -- blank check in hand for his bail.

Arrestee and Assistant City Manager Steve Hayman wasn’t as

concerned about his arrest as he was about recidivism. More donations

from his co-workers could raise his bail or get him nabbed again.

“My biggest worry is: How many times in the day can I be

arrested?” he said with a laugh. “There’s double jeopardy.”

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4618 or by e-mail at [email protected].