POLICE BLOTTER - 1 Dec. 2011

Compiled by Amanda Phipps

POSSESSION OF BEER UNDER 21 (11/15/11)

At 10:29 p.m., a Winthrop reporting officer was dispatched to Wofford Hall in reference to a dispute between two students, according to the police report. When the officer and a sergeant arrived, two students informed him that there had been an argument, but that one of the students who were arguing had left the room. The other student involved in the argument stated they would work it out, according to the police report. While speaking with the subjects, the officer saw alcohol in plain view on the other subject’s side of the room and found that the subject was under 21, according to the police report. After the subject returned to the room, she gave the officer permission to search her side of the room. The officer found 22 bottles of liquor on the side of the room in plain view, according to the police report. This was the second time the subject was found to be in possession of alcohol under 21 in less than a week. The subject was arrested for possession of liquor under 21 and taken to Rock Hill City Jail, according to the police report.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY (1ST DEGREE), MALICIOUS INJURY TO PROPERTY, RECKLESS DRIVING (11/16/11)

At 8:52 p.m., a Winthrop reporting officer met with the two victims in the visitor parking at the West Center, according to the police report. The first victim stated she had parked her vehicle in the visitor parking, but before she was able to leave her vehicle, another vehicle, driven by the suspect, struck hers on the driver’s side, pushing her up on the curb and sideways, according to the police report. The victim stated she saw the blue Ford Focus back up from her vehicle and strike her vehicle again. The victim said the suspect was the second victim’s former girlfriend, according to the police report. The suspect then backed away from the first victim’s vehicle and sped towards Margaret Nance Hall, where the third victim was walking. The third victim said she had to dive out of the road onto the sidewalk to avoid being hit by the vehicle, according to the police report. The second victim said the suspect is his former girlfriend and that she must have followed him and the first victim to the parking space. The officer located the suspect and took her into custody, according to the police report. 

HARRASSMENT (2ND DEGREE) (11/02/11) 

At 7:00 p.m., a Winthrop reporting officer went to the lobby of the Winthrop Police Department to speak with the victim in reference to a harassment incident, according to the police report. The victim is a Winthrop international student. The student said she had met the offender eight months prior to the incident and he had become a family aquaintance and had visited the victim and her husband at their residence, according to the report. The victim said the offender began always wanting to know where she was and became possessive and needy, according to the report. The victim then stopped answering the offender’s attempts to contact her. After parking her vehicle and walking around campus, the victim returned to her vehicle and saw that the offender’s vehicle was parked next to hers, according to the report. The victim said since the offender is a family friend, he knew her class schedule. The victim had a family friend escort her to her vehicle as she began to fear for her safety, according to the report. The victim said she leaves her car doors unlocked due to a malfunction with the doors. When she reached her vehicle, the victim noticed movement and stepped away from her vehicle. At this point, the offender jumped out from the passenger area, according to the police report. When the offender realized the witness was on the scene, he became upset, grabbed the victim’s phone and purse and yelled at her, according to the report. The offender began recklessly driving around the Alumni Parking lot, according to the report. A second witness flagged the offender down and stopped him from driving around the lot. The second witness convinced all parties to continue to conversation at his residence. The light turned red, causing the victim’s vehicle to be stuck at the light. At this time, the offender pulled into a gas station and tried talking to the victim. The light turned green, but the victim could not move her vehilce because the offender was blocking her path. The offender then began pounding on the victim’s vehicle, demanding she talk to him, according to the police report. The second witness then had to physically move the offender out of the vicim’s way. After arriving at the second witness’ residence, all parties told the offender that the victim did not want any further contact from him, according to the report. The Rock Hill Police Department was called, but upon the department’s arrival, all parties said everything was fine. The department then left the residence. All parties left soon after. 

The next day, the offender went to the victim’s residence, a third witness and the victim told the offender they wanted no more contact with him, according to the report.

The reporting officer and Chief Zebedis met with the offender on 11/22, according to the report. The officer and chief relayed the information from the victim to the offender. After the offender told a story similar to the victim’s, the officer and chief told him his actions could be considered criminal. The offender said he was sorry for the incident and that he was unaware that the victim worried for her safety, according to the report. The officer and chief told the offender the victim wanted no more contact from him. The offender said he understood. The officer told the victim of the discussion with the offender and told both the victim and the offender to have no more contact with each other as it may cause problems in the future, according to the report. The victim said she did not want to pursue criminal charges against the offender. The offender will be referred to the Winthrop University Judicial Affairs, according to the police report.