Cops Corner: Sarasota 1.31.19

Jan. 26

WHODUNNIT?
12:34 a.m. — 1200 block of Main Street
Dispute: A man called the police because he said he and his friend were physically attacked by another bar patron in the street. The man’s friend told an officer that a person exited the bar, went into an alley and slapped him in the head. The officer spoke to a bar manager, who saw part of the event and said it appeared all parties were responsible for getting into a shoving match. The officer then spoke to the accused aggressor, who said the other two men started the argument, got in his face and shoved him. The officer was unable to identify a primary aggressor.

THREE’S COMPANY
2:37 a.m. — 1800 block of Siesta Drive
Dispute: A man reported that a woman was trying to break into his house. When an officer arrived, the woman was at the front door asking the man to let her inside. The woman has been living at the house for about two months with her boyfriend, the man’s roommate, and her belongings were inside. The man was not happy that he was not able to prevent her from coming inside, but he eventually moved aside and let her enter. The officer told the man if he wanted her removed, he would have to go through an official eviction process.

BLADE OF GRASS
10:52 a.m. — 900 block of Patterson Drive
Lost/found property: As a man was mowing his lawn, he came across an unfamiliar pocket knife. The man called the police to report the incident because he wanted them to take the knife away. An officer took the knife and stored it as found property.

WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS
7:30 p.m. — 1900 block of Main Street
Dispute: A man said he was peacefully protesting and soliciting signatures on the sidewalk in front of a movie theater when a theater manager approached him and told him he needed to move across the street, because he was on private property. The man disagreed with the manager and said he was on the sidewalk, which is city-owned property. The man called the police to confirm he could protest on the sidewalk. An officer spoke to the manager, who said the man was standing in front of the theater door soliciting signatures. The manager said he told the man he needed to move away from the door. The officer told the man not to stand near the door but confirmed protests on the sidewalk are allowed.