The Blotter

Santa came a little early this year for a Parkside resident. About 1:30 a.m., the complainant heard someone trying to break into his back door. He grabbed a softball bat and called police. The ”burglar” turned out to be a highly intoxicated man who was dressed as Santa Claus. The suspect had attended a party at the complainant’s house earlier that evening and had apparently been locked out and left behind after the party was over. Although a police report was compiled, the complainant declined to press charges. The suspect passed out on the spot.



• A Whitfield Avenue trailer park resident told police a man came to his residence to get his children, and began cursing and calling him names. The complainant said the suspect also kicked his pickup truck on the front passenger side door. The suspect then began calling for the man to come outside to fight. Instead, he called for the police to come and remove the suspect from his property. The complainant is dating the suspect’s ex-wife. He said the suspect was intoxicated when he arrived at the home with a group of men. After the suspect retrieved his children, he walked through the trailer park for while. The complainant said he took out a good behavior warrant on the suspect earlier this year. Both men were given a case report number card and were advised on warrant procedures.



• A woman was visiting a friend on East Derenne Avenue when she heard noises outside. She told police she went outside to investigate and found a woman she knew and two other women who she did not know. She said she got into a verbal argument with the suspect, and that it turned physical when the woman began to strike her. The victim sustained minor injuries -- a scratch on the chest and a minor cut to her right ear. The suspect then jumped onto the hood of the victim’s vehicle and started to kick in the windshield, then left in a car with the two unidentified women. The victim’s friend witnessed the incident. A blue hat and a 12-inch knife with a broken wooden handle were left at the scene by the suspect. These items were logged into the police property room as evidence.



• A Quail Hollow Drive resident told police he has been having problems with neighborhood children playing ball in the street and encroaching onto his property. He said he finally called police after a group of children playing football threw the ball into his yard several times, striking his vehicles. The man said no damage was done to the cars, but he is tired of the children causing problems. When an officer arrived at the scene, two of the children’s parents were on the scene because the man had confiscated the children’s football. The officer advised the parents that they were in violation of a city ordinance that prohibits allowing children to play in the street. They said they were not familiar with the ordinance, but would comply, adding that their children have no where else to play. The officer then advised them that the problem was beyond his control, but the enforcement of city ordinances was not. After the parents were warned, the man wanted the officer to cite them. He was told the officer had already let them go with a warning and making a citation would not be proper at that time. The man stated he will expect a citation in the future. The officer assured him he would do so, since the parents are now familiar with the rules.



• An officer was dispatched to a Coakley Street address in reference to a disorderly person. On arrival, he was approached by a woman who said she witnessed an incident in which a 6-year-old boy was hit in the stomach by his mother. The complainant said the boy is diabetic and is a very sickly child. The officer spoke with the mother who said she and her son exchanged words, but said she never touched the boy. The complainant said she saw the mother push the boy in the stomach and said he stepped back about four steps. Both women were given case report number cards and the complainant was advised on warrant procedures.