
In a dramatic turn of events, John D. Sweeney, the embattled former owner of Point Buckler Island, found himself in handcuffs moments after his private land in the San Francisco Bay sold for $3.8 million at a public auction.
The sale, outside the Solano County Courthouse yesterday, concluded a fraught legal battle over the 50-acre marshland near Grizzly Bear on the southern edge of Suisun Bay. Sweeney, a yachtsman and dot-com millionaire, had been at odds with state water agencies for a decade, stemming from his unpermitted development work on the island. The conflict centered on violations of the Clean Water Act, with the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board proposing a $4.6 million penalty against Sweeney, as CBS News reported.
At the heated auction witnessed by approximately 40 spectators, initial confusion arose when the starting bid announced by Sgt. Tyler Pierce of the Solano County Sheriff's Office unexpectedly opened at $3,783,270.24. The notice of sale details a significant jump from the advertised starting bid of $0. Despite the starting bid disparity, no further offers came, and the sale price stood firm. The John Muir Land Trust successfully secured the property, as confirmed by SFGATE, though they did not provide a statement by publication.
Speaking to journalists before his arrest, Sweeney declared, "Government at its finest. Can’t figure out how to sell a property." His orange jacket, adorned with the Point Buckler Club logo, might have stood as a beacon of his former triumphs in transforming the island into a private kiteboarding club for the elite. Instead, it became the backdrop to his detainment by local authorities. "We have a bench warrant for your arrest for a civil matter," said the arresting officer, guiding him across the street to the courthouse, according to an onlooker's account detailed by SFGATE.