The Blotter January 18 2006

POLICE RESPONDED to a robbery call at the parking deck of the Georgia Aquarium. The parking manager said he was in the security office counting the day’s parking tickets when a man walked through the office door, carrying a handgun. The man told a female employee to get on the floor. The man ordered the manager to open the office safe, and put the money in his plastic garbage bag. The manager said he complied, putting all of the money, including receipts and deposit tickets, into the man’s garbage bag. Then, the man grabbed the bag and ran away. The man took about $29,000 cash from the Georgia Aquarium parking office. And two radios.

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A MAN bought three burritos at the Taco Bell on Ponce de Leon Avenue. As he started to eat the first burrito, he bit into a 1-inch steel washer. The manager of the Taco Bell said her store does not use washers.

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ONE SUNDAY, police were called about a person shot at a church on Fair Street. The caller said a man wearing glasses shot a church member. Medics, police and a fire engine responded. When an officer arrived, however, the church receptionist said no one was injured. The officer asked, “Then who called?” The receptionist pointed and said, “That guy right there drinking water.” The man said, “I called. No one was shot.” The caller, a 61-year-old man, got a ticket for “breach of peace.”

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A WOMAN walked into the mini police precinct at Underground Atlanta and said she operated a Heavenly Angels cart at Underground. She said a group of people running in the mall knocked into the Heavenly Angels cart and damaged 19 angel figurines (total damage: $342.75). Descriptions of the angel figurines included Big Boy, Baby Angel; Angel Holding Candle; Angel on a Rock; and Pray God Angels.

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A MAN was walking down some stairs at an apartment complex on Martin Street. One stair collapsed, and the man fell into the opening. He caught himself with his arms before falling completely through the hole. The man said he injured his shoulder. Grady Memorial Hospital medics arrived and said they didn’t think the man was seriously injured. The man who fell through the stairs weighs 380 pounds. He was taken to Grady as a precaution.

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AN EMPLOYEE of the Atlanta Department of Planning reported that his city-owned vehicle was damaged. The man said he parked the 2005 Ford Ranger at Manuel’s Tavern on North Highland Avenue. Upon leaving Manuel’s, the man noticed that the tailgate was damaged.

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AT A NIGHTCLUB on Cheshire Bridge Road, the sound engineer and a DJ called “Quack Quack” were inside the DJ booth, spinning records. A drunk man climbed onto a box on the dancefloor and started beating on the glass window of the DJ booth. The drunk man screamed that they should play better music, and that the play selection sucked. The sound engineer left the DJ booth and told the man that if he didn’t behave himself, he’d have to leave. The drunk man pushed the sound engineer into the wall of the DJ booth. The sound engineer contacted another employee, who escorted the drunk man from the club. The drunk man yelled, “Call the fucking police. I want the police now.” A nearby officer walked over. The officer asked, “What’s the problem?” The drunk man replied, “You are the problem. I don’t like you and I reported you a year ago.” The officer asked, “What’s going on? You asked for the police. What can I help you with?” The man refused to respond. Eventually, the man said he wanted his black leather jacket. Employees found the jacket in the club. The officer gave the jacket to the man and told him to leave. The man slapped the jacket out of the officer’s hands and said, “I want to talk to your supervisor.” Then, the man called 911 on his cell phone. The drunk man, age 38, was arrested for disorderly conduct.

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At a nightclub on Peachtree Street, a woman from Los Angeles said she fell down some stairs that were wet from spilled drinks. A police officer asked the woman if she needed medical treatment. “No, I’m fine,” the woman said. Then, the woman told the club manager that she wanted her drinks and parking to be complimentary. The manager said she’d have to pay for her drinks. The woman got mad and said, “I need medical treatment, I am hurt.” Medics arrived, but the woman refused treatment. Eventually, the manager relented and paid for the woman’s drinks and parking. Then, the woman decided that she was not injured and left the club.

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ON SIMPSON ROAD, a woman got into a fight with her male friend about an all-girl party that she planned to host. Her friend got angry because he couldn’t attend the all-girl party, so he went outside and slammed the door. Then, she said, he threw her cell phone through her front window. The male friend told police that he was outside swinging his arms and the cell phone came out of his grip and flew through the window. The man agreed to pay for the window repair, so the woman decided not to prosecute.

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AROUND 5 A.M., someone called police about a man knocking on doors at an apartment complex on Alison Court. A police officer found a short, incoherent man wearing only pajamas. The man, age 55, appeared extremely cold and had a cut under one eye. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital.

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Items in The Blotter are taken from actual Atlanta police reports. The Blotter Diva compiles them and puts them into her own words.