Cops Corner: Sarasota 01.14.16

Jan. 9

BIKE MANIA
6:05 p.m. — 100 block of North Lemon Avenue
Misc. Officer: Officers responded to the scene of a dispute between a motorist and a bicyclist. The driver said the cyclist, who was travelling in front of him, turned around made an obscene gesture. The driver honked his horn, at which point the cyclist stopped and got off to pick up the bicycle and throw it at the man’s car. The driver got out of his car and told the cyclist to get away, or else he would call the police. The driver said he pushed the cyclist in self-defense, as the cyclist was approaching him in an aggressive manner.

The cyclist said he was arguing with the driver for cutting him off in traffic. He admitted to pushing his bicycle into the driver’s car, but said the driver had pushed him and hit him in the neck first. Both parties requested to leave the scene without further incident.

Jan. 10

ANCORS AWEIGH
11:28 a.m. — 5400 block of Bay Shore Road
Misc. Officer: A security officer at a museum reported that an abandoned boat was resting along the sea wall of the museum, and had been tied down on the shore. By the time a police officer responded to the incident, the boat was in the process of being towed away by its owner. The boat was removed without further incident.

TREE TROUBLES
2:40 p.m. — 700 block of Siesta Drive
Dispute: A man agreed to let the owner of a neighboring property cut down trees to clear space for the construction of a new house. When the man returned home, he found part of his fence on the ground, which he had not approved of. An employee with the tree company said a tree that had been removed was propping up that section of the fence, and that they would put the fence back up before they left. The man requested documentation indicating the fence would be restored.

FAILED TEST
6:15 p.m. — 1700 block of Alderman Street
Property Damage: A man reported that another person damaged his motorcycle during a test drive. The test driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, laying the motorcycle down in the driveway and damaging it in the process. The damage included a dented gas tank, bent handlebars and a scratched headlight and speedometer.