Small Bridge, Big Problems!

Empty beer bottles and cans, graffiti and garbage...sheriff's deputies in Baldwin County say local teens have "trashed" the Barrineau Park Bridge!
But the litter isn't the biggest problem. Deputies say this rural bridge on the Alabama-Florida state line is a hot-spot for juvenile crime, including wild brawls and staged fights between rival teens.

"There's a lot of thuggery going on," says Major Anthony Lowery with the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office. "A lot of drinking, a lot of fighting and a lot of problems. It only takes a minute for a fight to go bad and if somebody's seriously injured, they're a long way from medical attention."

No parking signs have been posted near the bridge. Lowery says the sheriff's office along with conservation officers will soon post no trespassing signs at the Perdido River access point.

Ray Buck lives near the bridge. Buck says he's tired of the problems.

"It's trashed out now because of all this garbage here. It wasn't like this when I was growing up."

The bridge is a much-needed access point from Gateswood to Escambia County Florida. But the sheriff's office says the crime that's happening here could force them to take extreme measures to protect the public.