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Former owner of private island in Solano County arrested after decade-long legal fight

Solano County private island auction ends in arrest
Solano County private island auction ends in arrest 02:43

SOLANO COUNTY — Outside of the Solano County Courthouse on Wednesday, a decade-long legal fight over a private island in the Suisun Bay came to an end and its former owner was arrested. 

The court-mandated auction of Point Buckler's 50 acres of marshland on the southern edge of Grizzly Bear ended a fight for ownership between state water agencies and the island's former owner, billionaire John Sweeney. 

Sweeney, who attended the auction on the steps of the courthouse, told CBS13 the seizure and sale of the island — one that he bought in 2011 for $150,000 — was a "decade-long crusade" against him. 

"It sure doesn't seem legal but taking people's property in California is something that's been done many times, and I guess today is another example of that," said Sweeney, before the auction. 

The land was seized from Sweeney after state agencies like the water board said he broke the Clean Water Act and changes to the island were done without authorization. 

In 2016, the water board proposed a $4.6 million penalty for "unauthorized work and harm to tidal wetlands in the Suisan Marsh."

In a SFGate report, the "numerous" activities that violated the law included building helicopter pads, toilet and lounge area, and filling state waters to build a levee that blocked 29 acres of tidal wetlands."

The same 2016 report the water board described the work as: "This work was completed to develop the island for use as a private sport and social club." 

Sweeney created a private elite kiteboarding club that was run off the island in the summers. The club was named after the land and known as Point Buckler Club. 

On Wednesday, at the auction for the island, chaos ensued as Sweeney was arrested shortly after the property sold for $3.8 million. 

CBS13 spoke to him as he was being arrested. 

"I guess I'm going to be arrested for a bench warrant that I have for fighting this," Sweeney told CBS13. 

A Solano County sheriff's deputy who was carrying out the bench warrant said it was because Sweeney had failed to appear on civil charges. 

Sweeney said the island was purchased by the John Muir Land Trust, but a spokesperson for the trust has not confirmed this with CBS13. 

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