PRINCETON POLICE

Nov. 16

• ASSAULT: A man reported he was sitting in his vehicle at Sonic when another man attempted to enter the passenger-side door. The complainant advised Ptlm. M.B. Gergely that he refused to open the door, and the suspect allegedly got into a Honda Accord and left the scene.

Nov. 19

• BATTERY: All units responded to Henderson Street, where Princeton Fire Department requested assistance. The complainant reportedly suffered a severe laceration on the top of his head and swelling to his left jaw area, giving the appearance he had been severely beaten. According to a report by Sgt. J.W. Howell, the victim advised he did not know who did that to him. He also allegedly appeared to be extremely intoxicated and smelled strongly of alcohol. The investigation was ongoing.

• BURGLARY: Ptlm. D.A. Weatherly received a walk-in complaint from a man who stated a friend called him to report someone had broken into his home. The officer investigated and noted that the east side door appeared to have been pried open. Several items, including silverware, were reported missing. The case remained under investigation.

• BATTERY: Ptlm. J.D. Lambert received a walk-in report from a man who advised he stopped on Beckley Road to ask directions. The complainant reported he stopped in the road and yelled “Hey, fellers,” to get the attention of someone nearby, and a black man allegedly approached the vehicle and punched the complainant in the face. The complainant then left the scene and traveled to the police department.

• FRAUDULENT SCHEMES, FORGERY & UTTERING: A woman notified Det. D.B. Whited that she had been contacted via phone by a man who told her she had won $5.5 million in a sweepstakes. In order to claim her prize money, the man allegedly advised her she must first send a check for $750 to an address in Nebraska. The woman sent the original check, then told the officer the man contacted her to say she could increase her winnings via investment if she sent another check for more than $14,000. The third time the woman was contacted, the man told her he would release her winnings if she sent another check for $40,000. The woman informed him she didn't have any more money, at which time, he allegedly instructed her to send a blank check and that he would cover the costs. She did so. According to Whited's report, someone then allegedly wrote the check for $40,000, forged the woman's name and cashed the check. The officer contacted law enforcement authorities in Nebraska and reported that the case remained under investigation.

Nov. 20

• PETIT LARCENY: A complainant advised she left her wallet on the checkout station at Kroger on Stafford Drive. The woman realized she left her wallet and contacted store employees, who told her the wallet was gone. Ptlm. J.D. Halsey and Ptlm. B.E. Grimm investigated at the store in hopes of finding the wallet, but they were unsuccessful.

• FAILURE TO APPEAR FOR BATTERY, POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE: Ptlm. J.S. Bish reported seeing a red Pontiac Sunfire traveling east on Mercer Street with a non-functioning brake light. The officer initiated a traffic stop, and was advised that the driver's license was suspended and that she was wanted on a failure to appear warrant involving a battery charge. Meanwhile, the officer noted the driver appeared to be reaching toward the passenger's seat in an erratic manner. Upon closer examination, Bish reported he saw a pill bottle upright inside a McDonald's bag. The driver allegedly advised she had two different pills in her possession - one that was prescribed to her and another that was not hers. The woman was taken into custody and processed on the failure-to-appear warrants. She was also cited for driving suspended and driving with no insurance.

• DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: Sgt. W.J. Gilley responded to Hale Avenue in reference to a destruction of property complaint. The resident there advised someone had cut all four tires on his vehicle.

• FAILURE TO APPEAR, SHOPLIFTING: Ptlm. J.D. Lambert responded to Kroger on Stafford Drive, where an off-duty officer had detained Drema Barton, 52, of Princeton, on three city warrants. Two of the charges were for failure to appear in court; one involved a first-offense shoplifting charge.

Nov. 22

• DOMESTIC BATTERY: Ptlm. D.A. Weatherly received a report of three to four women fighting in Big Lots' parking lot on Stafford Drive. The complainant advised that her ex-girlfriend had encountered her with her new girlfriend inside the store. The suspect allegedly then followed the complainant outside, started “running her mouth,” and hit the complainant in the chest. Rachel Lou Brown, 35, of Princeton, was charged with domestic battery.

Nov. 23

• FAILURE TO APPEAR FOR EXPIRED REGISTRATION, DRIVING SUSPENDED: Paul Asbury, 19, of Princeton, turned himself in on warrants for the listed charges. Capt. P.V. Powell arrested him and filed the report.

• PETIT LARCENY: A complainant arrived at PPD to report a possible larceny he claimed had taken place at Princeton Community Hospital. The man told Sgt. T.A. Gray he went to PCH for treatment of a “broken penis.” There, the man said officials gave him something that “knocked him out,” and he awoke in Charleston Area Medical Center. The man claimed he did not have all of his belongings with him when he was transported and that officials at PCH told him they didn't have them either. Gray spoke with officials at Princeton Rescue Squad, who confirmed a crew transported the complainant to Charleston, but the only possessions they signed off on receiving were a pair of glasses, a gown and a bag of clothing. The complainant reported that cash, his driver's license, a cell phone and more were missing when he woke up in Charleston.

• DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: Sgt. T.A. Gray responded to the Moose Lodge on Center Street, where a complainant advised someone had broken the rear window, two passenger windows and two taillights from his vehicle. The complainant advised of a possible suspect, and Gray proceeded to talk with the suspect at his home. The man allegedly smelled strongly of alcohol and exhibited signs of blood on his hands. A witness at his residence also told the officer she had driven him to the liquor store and to the Moose Lodge earlier that day. Thomas Flanigan, 51, of Princeton, was arrested.

• PETIT LARCENY: A woman reported parking her maroon Pontiac in the Midtown Texaco lot and going inside, while leaving her purse in the unlocked car with the window rolled down. When she returned, the woman told Ptlm. M.B. Gergely that her purse and her cell phone were missing from the car.