Police blotter

DAILY SOUND STAFF REPORT

Oct. 20, 12:10 a.m. — When authorities arrived at a traffic collision in the 200 block of E. Sola Street, they found a 36-year-old man at the scene who admitted to being behind the wheel of a red Toyota Corolla when it crashed into a parked car. During their investigation, officers determined the car had been involved in a prior collision at Garden and Micheltorena streets and the driver had fled the scene, apparently crashing along Sola Street during his attempted getaway.

Police immediately noted the suspect had obvious symptoms of intoxication, including an odor of alcohol, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and poor balance. He performed poorly on field sobriety tests and subsequent breath tests revealed he had a blood-alcohol content of 0.18 or 0.19, well above the legal limit of 0.08.
Authorities arrested the driver for DUI, hit-and-run and driving without a license, booking him in lieu of $5,000. The arresting officer also noted opposition to an “own recognizance” release, stating the suspect is an illegal alien.

Oct. 20, 1:13 a.m. — Arriving in the 1900 block of Grand Avenue on reports of an intoxicated woman, police could hear an argument occurring inside a nearby residence. A man opened the door and told them he had been arguing with his ex-girlfriend, who apparently was angry because he had been seeing another woman.
During the confrontation, she punched him several times in the chest and kicked him in the side, the victim told officers. The 26-year-old woman admitted they had been arguing and that the fight had become physical.
Officers told her to stay seated on the couch, but the woman jumped up and ran outside toward the victim. Authorities managed to physically restrain the woman, ultimately taking her into custody on $10,000 bail for domestic battery.

Oct. 21, 3:19 p.m. — Police tracked down a suspect involved a domestic battery case several weeks ago at a local hotel room in possession of drugs. Officers arrived on the scene after hotel employees called to report a room had been checked out with a stolen credit card.
Authorities found the 39-year-old suspect in the room and recognized him from a prior case on Oct. 8 during which he had allegedly verbally abused, choked and smothered his victim with a pillow. He also injured her wrist as he attempted to take her keys and threatened to cut her or disfigure her face.
When police found him in the hotel room, they noticed two small, white clusters on the ground near him. The suspect attempted to grind the substance into the carpet with his foot, but was stopped. The powder field-tested positive for cocaine.
Authorities took the man into custody in lieu of $70,000 bail for domestic battery, threatening death or great bodily harm, and possession of cocaine.

Oct. 22, 1:28 a.m. — A witness called police to report being threatened by a man near the intersection of State and Anapamu streets. The victim said a strange man had unleashed an unprovoked string of expletives, yelling, “I’ll kick your ass. I’ll f*** you up with this pipe.”
The victim said the man had a 3-foot metal pipe and was swinging it around his head in a threatening manner. Officers found a man matching the description nearby and the victim positively identified him as the suspect, noting he still had the pipe in his possession.
Police took the 56-year-old man, listed as homeless, into custody on $2,500 bail for brandishing a weapon.

Oct. 22, 3:40 p.m. — An officer on bike patrol along the 400 block of State Street spotted a man sitting in a parked car. Recognizing the 24-year-old local resident from a prior arrest for battery, the officer approached and began chatting with him. As the man stepped out of the car upon request, the officer spotted brass knuckles on the driver’s side floorboard.
The suspect told police he uses the weapon for protection, explaining he works in an adult bookstore. He said he often has to transport cash and has been threatened on occasion. Authorities booked the man for possession of an illegal weapon.