best of the blotter: hootenanies, stoners, and strange fireballs

AVON:

SUSPICIOUS CONDITION, SCHWARTZ ROAD: Police received a report on Aug. 6 from a nearby resident about two carloads of “illegal immigrants” at the east end of the park who were changing clothes in plain sight, acting in an intimidating manner and who the caller thought were preparing to have some kind of “hootenanny.” Police arrived on the scene to find the suspects were preparing to play a soccer game. They were advised about changing in plain sight.

CHAGRIN FALLS

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF, SHOPPING PLAZA: A worker with the Village Service Department reported at daybreak on Aug. 11 that there was “extensive graffiti on the walls and pavement at the shopping center.” But officials soon discovered that everything had been done in chalk, including peace signs, as well as recommendations to “recycle” and “thaw out.” There was also at least one body outline in chalk on the pavement, as well as a door drawn to the “Chalk Zone.” A hose quickly dispatched all of the handiwork of the temporary taggers.

SOLON

WARRANT/UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT, AURORA ROAD: A warrant was issued Aug. 10 for a Solon man, 52, following an incident four days earlier in the checkout line at the Solar Center Giant Eagle, where a man unknown to a cashier, 19, became “flirtatious“ with her, saying he wanted to take her to Las Vegas with him.

He then took some time to direct racial comments at a customer behind him in line, then put his arms around the cashier and kissed her on the neck. She told him she couldn’t go with him because she would get fired, but when she reached back to get a carton of eggs he had apparently left behind, he attempted to physically pick her up, telling her “My jets are waiting.”

Then he was gone, but these tender moments were preserved on in-store security cameras, which led to the man’s identity being detected and the warrant being issued. As of Aug. 16, the suspect had yet to turn himself in.

OVI/POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA (MEDICINAL); U.S. ALT. 422: When police pulled over a Los Angeles woman, 29, for driving westbound at 81 mph on the 60-mph freeway just after 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 13, she was detained for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, but she kept asking about her marijuana, saying she wanted it back.

What police found was a container of Jolly Ranchers candy with a label that said “Contains Cannabis — For Medical Use Only.” The Jolly Ranchers were confiscated although the woman claimed she had a prescription for them, which police said they were still waiting to see before releasing them to her.

The woman registered a .067 BAC on the Breathalyzer, which is below the legal limit of .08, although the charges against her still allege she was impaired.

MARIJUANA, N. COURT STREET: A 24-year-old Medina man was pulled over at Taco Bell, on North Court Street, for driving without headlights at 2:23 a.m. Aug. 6.

Upon further investigation, police discovered that the man was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and was also allegedly in possession of marijuana. He was arrested and charged.

MARIJUANA PLANTS FOUND, WHITEHALL DRIVE: A 4-foot-tall marijuana plant was found Aug. 8 in the rear of a house in the first block of Whitehall, next to a house in the 500 block of Prospect Street. The owner of the house said the plant was not his and might be a prank by neighbors.

HARASSMENT, SONTEY POINT DRIVE: An anonymous resident left a letter in a caller’s mailbox regarding the condition of the caller’s house on Aug. 11.

The caller explained that the letter, which had been typed, derided the condition of the caller’s house. The author of the letter hinted at the fact that he or she was trying to sell his or her own house. The author also explained that he or she does not like the caller’s blue shutters or the blue tarp that is used along the back patio.

The caller was advised that this is not a criminal act, but that it is rude.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT, FAIRGROUNDS: Police on Aug. 13 arrested a 29-year-old North Olmsted man during a concert at the county fairgrounds. Police took the man from the grandstands because he would not obey orders to leave the grandstands, where he had flicked a cigarette into a person’s hand.

While being arrested, the man told police he wanted to wear his hat because it was “a space helmet used for time travel.” The man also told police he was Jesus.

SPOILED SUNSET, PARKING DECK: Police found a juvenile girl sitting in the top-level corner of the parking deck on E. Liberty Street, around 9:15 p.m. Aug. 1. The girl said she was listening to music and watching the sunset. Officers, who thought she may have run away from home, called her parents and they came and picked her up.

FISHY SITUATION, RETREAT DRIVE: A 58-year-old man reported that someone left two bags of dead fish on the front lawn of his property.

One of the bags had a note attached to it, which read: “Clean up your lake.”

The assumption is that this action is related to ongoing negotiations between the homeowners association and Burgundy Bay — a neighborhood located across the lake to the west of Retreat Drive. The resident suspects that the person who did this is an opponent of the merger.

No further evidence was available.

SUSPICIOUS SITUATION, ABIGAIL LANE: In the late hours of Aug. 6, an anonymous caller reported a very loud party taking place at a residence on the street. The caller said that the people were shooting “strange fireballs” into the air and that the whole situation seemed very unsafe.

An officer arrived at the scene and spoke with someone at the residence in question. The resident explained that he and his family and friends were having a graduation party and that they had shot off a few fireworks. He told the officer that the party would be going inside for the night.

WADSWORTH ROAD: A pink battery-powered Barbie jeep was stolen from a Wadsworth Road residence between 9 p.m., Aug. 8, and 8:30 a.m., Aug. 9.

The jeep was in the backyard during the time of the theft. The value of the jeep was not known. Police have not identified any suspects.

SPRAY PAINT, S. BROADWAY STREET: Assailants used silver spray paint to damage several properties along South Broadway Street on Aug. 9.

The suspects spray painted the taillights and trunk of a car, which was parked in the 600 block of South Broadway.

The assailants also wrote “SAINTS” on a tree in the yard. Down the road, another vehicle was spray painted on the passenger side. On the corner of Broadway and Grant streets, police also found silver spray paint on a street sign, fire hydrant and the pavement.

The suspects had again written “SAINTS,“ this time on the road in the 100 block of Grant. Two other South Broadway residents reported spray paint damage to outdoor signs at their homes. No arrests have been made.