Botanical Gardens Attack
University of Georgia police released a description last week of the man who attacked and tried to rape a jogging woman at knifepoint at the State Botanical Gardens. He is described as 5-foot-10 to six feet tall, 150–170 pounds, with short, sandy blond hair, crooked teeth and two small moles on the lower left side of his face. Anyone with information about the crime should contact UGAPD at 706-542-0900.
Driver Killed
James Edward Gary, 59, of Freeman Drive died in a car accident Jan. 23 on the Loop between Prince and Oglethorpe avenues. Gary drove his truck onto the median to avoid hitting cars that had slowed down in a traffic jam ahead of him, spun out and flipped several times. He was not wearing a seat belt.
Hood’s Guitar Stolen
One of Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood’s guitars was stolen while he was loading gear at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO, last week, according to the website Pitch.com. The guitar is a custom-built Baxendale acoustic. Hood, who lost his friend and crew member Craig Lieske two weeks ago, said the theft “made an already terrible week even worse.” The band later tweeted that the guitar had been returned.
But I’ll Live
A College Avenue man said that a woman struck him with an unknown object that cut him above the eye during an argument late on Jan. 24. Tammie Elaine Johnson, 49, said that she hit the man with a jar of olives. Johnson was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. The victim was taken by ambulance to a hospital.
Downtown Fisticuffs
A University of Georgia student tried to punch a police officer who was breaking up a fight Jan. 24 at an East Clayton Street bar, according to The Red & Black. While an officer pulled another man from the fight, Christian McDaniel, 20, wound up to punch the officer, but the officer rolled him onto his stomach before the blow could connect. McDaniel smelled of alcohol, had glassy eyes and was unsteady on his feet, the officer said. He was arrested.
Betcha Can’t Eat Just One
A 19-year-old man was arrested Jan. 25 for allegedly shoplifing a bag of kettle-cooked jalepeno potato chips, according to the Athens Banner-Herald. Druva Theja Kota was caught by an employee and on tape picking up the $1.49 bag of chips, putting them in his jacket and eating them. When an officer pushed Kota out of the way because he was blocking the doorway and refused to move, he heard a crunching sound and found the chips in his jacket.
This Show Sucks
Two Stonehenge Way men arrived home around 6:15 p.m. Jan. 22, saw an interior light on and heard the alarm go off. The back door was open, and a TV with a broken screen was sitting in the yard. Another TV had also been stolen.
On Highland Park Drive Jan. 26, a woman reported that a $500 laptop and an $800 TV were taken from her apartment. Officers located the TV in the woods nearby.
Thefts and Break-ins
• Two TVs, an XBox and a laptop worth $1,600 were stolen Jan. 20 from a Ruth Street apartment.
• A TV, DVDs, shoes, jewelry boxes, a DVD player, a Game Cube, cash and jewelry worth $2,059 were stolen between Jan. 19–21 from a Sunset Terrace residence.
• $250 worth of cigarette cartons were stolen Jan. 23 from the Airport Mini Market on Winterville Road.
• A Spring Valley Road woman reported that someone came into her house while she was asleep on the couch Jan. 25 and stole prescription medicine and $4 cash. There were no signs of forced entry.
• A backpack and XBox valued at $260 were taken Jan. 26 from a Meigs Street residence.
Information taken from Athens-Clarke County police reports except where noted.
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