Police Blotter: Possible Child Endangerment Charges

patrol officers found three children–ages 2, 5, and 8–sitting in a parked car in the lot of an office supply store on Mack Avenue July 23 about 1:25 p.m. during the recent heat wave. The temperature was 88 with a heat index of 96 and a passerby who saw the officer checking out the car–parked in a handicap space without proper permits–voiced concern about the children. The car was not running and the passerby told the officer he was concerned about the health of the children considering the weather. The owner of the vehicle came outside but did not understand the concern of the officer, in part due to the owner's broken English that was likely a language barrier. He told the officer the children had been alone in the car for about 10 minutes. The man was issued a citation for illegally parking in a handicap space and told the case would be forwarded to the city attorney for possible child endangerment charges, according to a report.

Parking Garage Gate Damaged

The City of Grosse Pointe will have to repair the arm of its parking garage in the Village after it was damaged by a motorist who forced it up. An officer was called to the garage July 21 about 8:15 p.m. with the request of assistance by a motorist who could not exit because the arm would not go up. The officer discovered the arm to be damaged near the post to which it is attached. A review of surveillance tapes show the gate was in working order when a white SUV was waiting to exit and within a few minutes, the SUV was gone and the gate was broken, according to a report.

Police Make Arrests

police arrested a 17-year-old man for drunken driving July 24 about 1:30 a.m. near Mack Avenue and Stanhope Street after stopping him for driving more than 50 mph in a 35 mph zone. The teen, who turned 18 on July 25, told the officer he had a few beers earlier in the night. He could not successfully complete the field sobriety tests and had a 0.13 percent blood alcohol content. He was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and his passenger was charged with minor in possession of alcohol. The passenger was released to his parents at the police station, according to a report.

police arrested a 40-year-old man July 24 on a charge of retail fraud after he stole two sandwiches and two juices worth $10.96 from a Mack Avenue gas station. The man also was charged with obstructing justice for providing responding officers with a false name. A gas station employee called police and responding officers found the man walking down the street eating one of the sandwiches he allegedly stole. They found the other items tucked in his clothing, according to a report. 

Grosse Pointe Farms police arrested a 35-year-old Roseville man for drunken driving July 24 about 4 a.m. near Mack Avenue and Moross Road after stopping him for driving 53 mph in a 35 mph zone. The man had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and was not able to successfully complete field sobriety tests. He also had problems following instructions for the Breathalyzer test, but eventually completed that test with a 0.13 percent blood alcohol level. He was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Grosse Pointe Farms police also arrested a 49-year-old Clinton Township woman for drunken driving July 24 about 12:20 a.m. near Lakeshore and Moran roads. The woman had difficulty understanding instructions for field sobriety tests and eventually had a Breathalyzer with a 0.18 percent blood alcohol content. The officer stopped her after hearing a tire on her vehicle pop and then seeing her continue driving. She was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated. 

City of Grosse Pointe police arrested a 41-year-old Grosse Pointe man July 24 about 3:50 p.m. near Neff and Kercheval after a woman called police to report an assault. During the investigation, police discovered no assault occurred and the 17-year-old Grosse Pointe Woods woman was scared because she believed the man was following her around CVS in the Village. The man was taken into custody in an unrelated outstanding warrant from another jurisdiction, according to a report.

City of Grosse Pointe police arrested a 26-year-old Detroit woman for drunken driving July 23 about 2:20 a.m. after stopping her for weaving in and out of traffic lanes on East Jefferson Road. She had difficulty finding documents, such as her driver's license, which she passed several times but finally located with the assistance of the officer. She could not successfully complete the field sobriety tests and had a 0.16 percent blood alcohol content. She was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Garage Items, Wallet Stolen

A 41-year-old Grosse Pointe Farms woman reported seeing a man running from her garage in the 300 block of Merriweather July 25 about 12:15 p.m. She found that an electric blower and a weed whip were gone, according to a report.

A 60-year-old Grosse Pointe Farms man reported his wallet was stolen July 24 after he shopped at an office supply store on Mack Avenue. The man told police he paid for his purchase and left his wallet on the counter before exiting. He realized it when he arrived home, called the store and a review of the video surveillance tapes show that a customer who was behind him in line took the wallet when it was his turn at the register. Loss prevention officials are trying to gather information about the purchase–made with a credit card–for police, according to a report.