Bay City News Service
A yacht stolen from Sausalito that ran aground at Linda Mar Beach on Monday has been towed to Richmond by the owner, a U.S. Coast Guard spokeswoman said this morning.
At about 12:30 a.m. today, the 82-foot "Darling" was recovered from shallow water near Linda Mar Beach by a salvage crew — Parker Diving Service based out of Sausalito — which was hired through the owner's insurance company, Coast Guard Ensign Corinne Gaines said.
The sailboat appeared to be seaworthy, and the potential damage to the vessel is still being assessed, Gaines said.
At 5:18 a.m. Monday, the North County Fire Authority received a report of a boat that was stuck in the surf at Linda Mar Beach, spokesman Matt Lucett said.
During the morning media coverage of the incident, Sausalito police received a call from the owner of the boat saying it had been stolen from the Sausalito Yacht Harbor, Sgt. Bill Fraass said.
According to Fraass, the boat's owner was watching the news broadcast of the beached vessel when he recognized the boat as his own.
Three people aboard the vessel were taken into custody by San Mateo County sheriff's deputies on Jet Skis.
The trio — Leslie Gardner, 63, Dario Mora, 54, and Lisa Modawell, 56 — was arrested at about noon on suspicion of grand theft and conspiracy, Pacifica police Capt. Joe Spanheimer said.
According to a CBS report, at least one of the suspects had a prosthetic leg. Police also found a alcohol and an empty pizza box on board the boat.
California State Parks lifeguards, who were assisting Pacifica police and sheriff's deputies pull the suspects off the boat, noted that the inside of the boat was a mess and full of empty beer containers.
The suspects are set to be arraigned in San Mateo County Superior Court later this week.
Additional reporting by Christa Bigue
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