The boy told police he accidentally started his leg and a skateboard on fire while playing with firecrackers in the patio area behind his residence. The apartment was described as “dirty and filthy,” with a 1-year-old girl reportedly walking around in a soiled diaper. Officers called the children’s grandmother, who came to the residence to pick up the children. Jacki Smith, of the 6800 block of Spring Garden Street, arrived on scene and said it was the first time she had ever left her kids alone. She was placed under arrest for child endangering and was taken to the Middletown city jail.
May 2
Police report a 43-year-old Middletown man who was arrested for driving under the influence asked them if handling cocaine would cause him to test positively for it on a urine test. Bruce Wilson, of the 600 block of 14th Avenue, was reportedly observed nearly causing an accident at the intersection of Jackson Lane and Roosevelt Boulevard. Officers pulled over Wilson’s vehicle and issued him citations for failure to signal while turning right as well as a seat belt violation.
Wilson also had a suspension for a prior DUI conviction, resulting in a driving under suspension charge. Wilson allegedly failed a field sobriety test, though a breathalyzer test showed him under the legal limit. He was then asked to submit to a drug test, but asked officers if handling cocaine would cause a positive result. Police said Wilson claimed he had touched the drug, but did not use it. Wilson was issued citations for DUI, failure to signal while turning right, a seat belt violation and driving under suspension.
A couple from Louisiana allegedly told police they were assaulted by four subjects after almost crashing their vehicles. The 24-year-old male driver said he had to drop off the right side of the road, almost crashing into a utility pole. Both vehicles pulled over to the side of the road and the occupants got into a verbal altercation, at which point the 24-year-old said a man approached and struck his wife’s face. The couple was able to secure a purse from one of the subjects, which they provided to police. Officers reported to a residence in the 400 block of Weaver Avenue, where they found the purse’s owner and the other subjects involved in the incident. They reportedly told police the Louisiana couple had instigated the fight. None of the parties involved elected to pursue any charges, so no arrests were made.
— Ryan Gauthier, staff writer