Police were dispatched to the scene of an accident reported to involve a vehicle and a building. When they arrived on the scene, the driver told police that she was trying to park her car when suddenly her dog jumped into her lap.
Startled by the dog, the woman pressed on the accelerator instead of the brake. The car jumped the curb and crashed into the lobby of a pet grooming business. Neither the elderly woman, nor her dog required medical attention, and no one inside the business was harmed. No citations were issued.
• What might be the largest chicken heist of this century occurred last week in West Chatham. Police were searching for leads into the theft of 800 cases of chicken from a trucking company. The chicken was initially thought to be valued at more than $35,000, however, that number was later redacted. Police advised citizens to be vigilant for door–to–door chicken sellers because of health and safety concerns, particularly that the chicken had not been properly refrigerated since the theft.
• Just after 4 a.m. officers were called to the corner of Broughton and Whitaker in response to an auto theft. A man saw a person who appeared to be very drunk stumbling around near the area of Bay and Barnard, and offered the man a ride. The suspect said he needed to get back to Hunter Army Airfield. The driver said that was fine, but that he needed to stop and pick up a friend on their way. When the driver got out of the car to locate his friend, he returned to find neither the inebriated stranger nor his car. Police found his car a few minutes later. It had been crashed into a pole on the corner of DeRenne and Montgomery. Metro police called Military police on the base, who then located the suspect. He was charged with several crimes and transported to CCDC.
• One particularly cold morning on Winter Drive, a woman started her car to let it warm up and then went back inside her home for a few minutes. When she came back outside, the car was gone. Police were called, and notified that there was a loaded gun in the glove compartment. The complainant’s boyfriend got in his car and went looking for the missing vehicle. He was carrying his own firearm. He actually located the stolen vehicle and followed it to a convenience store on East Victory Drive. He attempted to block the vehicle into a parking spot when it was reported that the car thief started firing a weapon at him. He returned fire. No one was hurt. The car thief drove away. The vehicle was located several hours later. No one was inside it and the keys had been taken. The firearm was still in the glove compartment and loaded. The complainant’s boyfriend was arrested for reckless endangerment.
• One evening last month, police were called to a domestic dispute where a man had thrown a beer bottle through a window. A two month old child was hurt by the broken glass. The suspect had left the premises by the time police arrived. The man had an active parole violation, and police obtained a warrant for him. After a CrimeStopper tip, police were able to locate the man, who then escaped by crawling out a window. After a brief chase on foot, officers apprehended the man and placed him under arrest.
• Police attempted to make a routine traffic stop on 32nd Street near Jefferson one evening. As officers approached the vehicle, the suspect got out and ran. After a chase, he was apprehended. Police found a 9mm handgun and 1.5 pounds of marijuana in his vehicle. cs
