A settlement has finally been reached in the case against the gang of local surfers who have allegedly been terrorizing a Los Angeles County coastal paradise for six decades.
Last week, the City of Palos Verdes Estates agreed to take steps to not only improve public access to Luanda Bay, but also to “vigorously enforce” the laws so that all surfers can enjoy the waves in peace without the presence of the “Bay Boys” group.
The group is known to verbally harass, display and throw rocks at visitors, as well as vandalize cars, all while hiding in a crudely constructed fort beneath the cliffs of Luanda Bay that served as its base of operations, according to the lawsuit.
The city and two surfers, Cory Spencer and Diana Milena Reed, reached a settlement after claiming in a 2016 lawsuit that Palos Verdes Estates has ignored harsh tactics by the rowdy group that has set out to keep people from enjoying the water.
Of the 12 alleged members named in the legal filing, reviewed by Los Angeles TimesMost of them have reached separate settlements with the plaintiffs, agreeing to stay off the beach for a year or face hefty fines of between $35,000 and $90,000, or a combination of both.
The ‘Bay Boys’ surfing gang, known for terrorizing beachgoers and other surfers for decades, have finally met their fate after allegedly intimidating people away from Lunada Bay for decades. (pictured: the rock fort the group built at the base of the cliff)
El Segundo Police Officer Cory Spencer (pictured) described his ordeal with the beach bums, which he said involved the group bombarding him with taunts from their elaborate hangout.
The city agreed to add signs making it clear that everyone is welcome in the bay, install stone benches along the cliffs and conduct regular inspections of the area to ensure there are no unauthorized activities, including the fortification of the famous surfing gang.
Its rock fort was previously demolished in 2016 after the California Coastal Commission received complaints about it.
Under the consent decree, reviewed by the outlet, city workers will now be required to attend training on coastal access laws.
Additionally, all alleged incidents of harassment must be reported to the city manager, police chief, head of the Coastal Commission and your Southern California compliance supervisor/manager, the order details.
Violating the new agreements could result in fines of up to $15,000 a day.
The decade-long federal class-action lawsuit claimed the surfers’ alleged antics violated California’s Coastal Law.
The law requires that the public have access to sites along the state’s coast, which apparently has not been the case at the bottom of this cliff located at the cusp of the wealthy town of Palos Verdes Estates.
Diana Milena Reed (pictured) claimed she met the ‘Bay Boys’ when she visited the surf spot in 2016 aged 29. She returned there a second time and said a man flashed his private parts at her while allegedly rubbing hers in a sexual manner.
The city agreed to add signs making it clear that everyone is welcome on the beach, install stone benches along the cliffs and conduct regular inspections of the area to make sure no unauthorised activities are allowed, including the fortification of the famous surfing gang.
In the lawsuit, one of the victims, Reed, claimed he met the Bay Boys when he visited the surf spot in 2016 at the age of 29.
“They were yelling profanities at me, they were making fun of my wetsuit because it was purple, they were being very rude and very threatening,” she previously told KTLA.
“I was paralyzed with fear, unable to do anything.”
The Malibu resident filed a police report before returning to the stretch of coast a second time, where she said she was met with an even worse reception: Two of the men immediately approached her.
“One of them immediately ran towards me with a beer can, shook it vigorously and sprayed my arm and camera with the can,” he recalled.
The other man, she said, continued to “show her his genitals,” all while allegedly rubbing her private parts in a sexual manner.
“They said they were filming me because they thought I was sexy and that I, you know, turned them on,” she told the station, getting emotional.
‘I’m trying to leave behind all kinds of vulgar things.’
Another plaintiff, retired El Segundo police officer Cory Spencer, described his ordeal with the beach bums, which he said consisted of the group bombarding him with taunts from their hangout built at the base of the cliffs.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” and “Why are you coming here to surf?” were some of the sarcastic comments she received upon arrival, and the harassment only got worse after entering the water.
At the time, he told Judge Laurence Rubin of the Second District Court of Appeals of California, that one of the men, who was surfing the next wave, steered his board directly toward him while he was still paddling.
He recalled how he had to roll off his board to protect himself and how as a result, the other man’s board cut the back of his wrist.
Spencer also introduced text messages sent by members of the Bay Boys in his part of the lawsuit, in which local surfers appeared to relish the opportunity to harass him and an acquaintance when they learned the two would be visiting.
“There are two nutcases,” one of the texts referring to Spencer allegedly read.
“They have with them a little bald white man.
‘It looks like a boogie board or holy crap! What a joke!’
One of the members of the elite group allegedly confronted Spencer’s friend next to his car on the cliff where the two had parked, and asked him why they kept coming back.
“We’re going to make it hard for you every time,” said the man, one of the defendants who has since reached a plea deal, according to Spencer.
“This is what we do. It’s not going to get any better for you.”
Spencer, a lifelong surfer who also worked as a police officer in Los Angeles, felt the need to file the lawsuit, he said, paving the way for Reed to join as well.
Both said Palos Verdes Estates, a town of about 13,000 residents, has avoided cracking down on the long-standing group, according to the lawsuit.
They said the city protects the band as locals, though it also appreciates the fact that they keep outsiders out of town.
In the lawsuit, Spencer (pictured) also claimed he cut the back of his wrist after falling off his surfboard when a gang member allegedly steered his board directly at him while he was still paddling.
Palos Verdes Estates Mayor Dawn Murdock (pictured) said some residents will be pleased with the decision, while others will be less so because of the amount of money spent on legal fees.
Following Friday’s agreement, Kate Huckelbridge, executive director of the California Coastal Commission, said, “We are pleased and supportive of any steps to ensure that the public beach is clearly available to the public and to ensure that Lunada Bay, like the rest of California’s coast and ocean, is safe and welcoming to visitors regardless of their ZIP codes.”
Palos Verdes Estates Mayor Dawn Murdock said some residents will be pleased with the decision, while others will not be so happy because of the amount of money spent on legal fees.
“The city has been through a roller coaster of decisions regarding this lawsuit, and as we look ahead, we simply see nothing but more legal fees and uncertainty,” Murdock said.
“We need to focus on residents’ priorities and it is good that this issue is no longer consuming valuable resources.”
The city agreed to pay between $1 million and $4 million in legal fees for Spencer and Reed, but it’s unclear how much they will receive, the LA Times reported.
Christopher Pisano, the attorney who represented the wealthy city in the case, said that if Palos Verdes Estates lost the case, it would face “existential financial risk.”
“This settlement achieves certainty, eliminating the risk of tens of millions of dollars in liability and avoiding the high costs of continued litigation,” he explained.
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