The Blotter March 10 2010

FASHION MELTDOWN: Around 7:30 a.m., police got a call from a coffee shop on Edgewood Avenue about a suspicious man in the bathroom. When a police sergeant arrived, the man fled out the back door. The sergeant got on police radio and described the man as wearing a peach-colored dress and no shoes. The man "darted into traffic on Jackson Street, causing vehicles to come to a sudden halt and move into the next lane to avoid hitting [him]," an officer wrote.

Police detained the man at Old Wheat and Jackson streets and charged him with pedestrian in roadway. An officer wrote, "When I asked [the man] why he ran, he stated that he didn't want police to see him in a dress."

The man, 27, went to jail. Apparently, he left behind some miscellaneous clothing in the upstairs bathroom at the coffee shop.

GHOST DRIVER? An officer dealt with a property damage call on Benjamin Court. A man said a silver Mercedes-Benz 320 was parked across the street on Mays Crossing. He said suddenly, the unoccupied Mercedes rolled down the driveway and struck his house. The car damaged some siding on the man's home. But no one was hurt.

BATHROOMS ARE FOR SISSIES: Around 3:45 p.m., an officer saw a man "pull out his penis and urinate on the city sidewalk. I observed [the man] walking south on Mills Street toward Ivan Allen Boulevard with his penis sticking out of his pants. [He] was urinating while walking down the city sidewalk."

The man, 43, was charged with urinating in public. He went to jail.

MAN VS. CHURCH: A man walked into a police precinct to report a touchy situation. He said he is the executive director of operations at a Presbyterian church on Roswell Road, and the church had purchased property that includes some condominiums on Roswell Court. The church director said the man who lives in one condo is upset that the church bought the property and is expressing his concerns to many people.

The church director said a few days ago, he was at the Roswell Court property when the man approached him – and the man was carrying a heavy wooden cane that resembles a tree branch. The church director said the man yelled at him and complained about cars parked in the wrong spots and bushes that weren't trimmed. According to the church director, the man said, "The church will never buy my unit and I'll never sell it to the church." The church director said the man's actions were concerning, so someone called 911, but an officer didn't respond after 30 minutes, so the church director left.

The church director said five days later, he received the following e-mail from the man: "Please enjoy my e-mail, it is the last you will ever receive from me. The next time you want to talk to me, you will need to make an appointment to do so.

As I was willing to give my life to serve my Country overseas to protect our people here, I am willing to give my life defending my home from anyone, be it the Church or Police trying to kick me out. If anyone tries to invade my home and physically kick me out, I will get the first shot and proudly give my life doing it. No one, no one is moving me ANYWHERE EVER!"

The church director said the man had served in the Coast Guard as a rescue swimmer and also with Blackwater. Also, he said the man owns at least one handgun. He said the man hasn't directly threatened him or anyone else, but he wanted police to be aware of the situation.

MR. WHISKEY SAYS HI: At Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, an officer was patrolling the North Terminal baggage claim when "someone started to yell my name across the hallway," the officer wrote. "I turned around and recognized immediately [a man], who appeared to be intoxicated and holding a bottle of whiskey in his hand."

The officer charged the man with disorderly conduct and loitering. The 69-year-old man went to jail.

STUPID MOVE OF THE WEEK: A 49-year-old Marietta man flagged down a police officer on West Peachtree Street. He said he had parked his 2006 silver Mercedes-Benz and locked his car. He said he left his black canvas backpack in plain view on the car's backseat. The man said before he left, he saw another man sitting inside a blue Crown Victoria near his car.

He said when he returned 20 minutes later, a rear window was busted out and his backpack was gone. The man reported the following items missing from his backpack: a platinum diamond pen (worth $7,500); a sapphire diamond ring (worth $6,500); a diamond platinum band ($2,000); his passport, checkbook, Louis Vuitton wallet (worth $400), his day planner, house keys and a safe deposit key.

The man told police he does not have insurance on his jewelry. Also, he said when he returned to his car, he saw the same man in the blue Crown Victoria circling the area several times.

PEOPLE STEAL WEIRD STUFF: At a grocery store on Cascade Road, a security guard said a man tried to steal $42.56 worth of Johnson's Baby Oil. According to the guard, the man stuffed bottles of baby oil inside his coat and tried to leave the store without paying. The man, 35, went to jail on a shoplifting charge.

FREAKING ON PEACE: An officer was patrolling Peace Avenue when he saw a man "looking in my direction in a very nervous manner." In the past, the same officer has dealt with "numerous calls for narcotics" on this particular corner, so the officer decided to interview the man. Turns out, the man was wanted in DeKalb County for allegedly not paying child support. So the man went to jail.

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