Bounced patron calls police to report battery

Monday, July 20

Bounced from the bathroom

11:31 p.m., 1800 block of South Tamiami Trail

Battery: A man, calling from several blocks away from where the alleged battery occurred, told a Sarasota police officer he was beaten by bouncers 20 minutes prior while in a Main Street establishment. 

The man said he was using a restroom inside the restaurant and bar when a female began banging on the door. He then said he was suddenly grabbed by the neck by a bouncer and pushed down to the floor. How the bouncer may have accessed the complainant while he was in the bathroom, or if that's how it happened, was not disclosed in the incident report.

Another officer spoke with two members of the restaurant’s security detail who both independently gave similar accounts to the incident. They said the man was bothering patrons and staff throughout the evening. He then cut in front of a long line of patrons waiting to use the restroom and, after hearing several complaints, the man was asked to leave. He refused, resulting in him being grabbed from behind and escorted to the door.

Once outside, he continued to refuse to leave and began to express vulgarities toward the bouncers. 

As a result of the encounter, the complainant had small cuts on his left hand and right elbow. He denied consuming alcohol, but appeared to be intoxicated during his encounter with law enforcement and stated at one point he did not recall why he was ejected from the premises.

At the time there was no probable cause for battery until video footage of the incident could be viewed. 

Wednesday, July 22

Candid camera

4:43 p.m., 200 block of Wallace Avenue

Civil dispute: During an ongoing issue, a property owner in the process of evicting a tenant called officers because the tenant covered a security camera with a towel. The tenant told an officer she was concerned the landlord was using the camera to harass and spy on her, according to the incident report. 

The camera was positioned near a window and can be remotely moved to possibly look inside the residence. The officer explained the property owner has the right to use exterior cameras to protect her property, but she also agreed to point the camera away and not move it toward the window. The tenant was told she would be justified to cover the camera if it was facing into her residence.

You can’t fish here

3:30 p.m., 2 Bayfront Drive

Trespassing: Two juveniles were reported to be fishing from the commercial charter docks at Marina Jack. A complainant told the officer the two had been repeatedly informed in the past they could not fish from the docks, but they keep coming back.

The officer made contact with the youthful anglers who were advised fishing was not permitted from the docks and they were directed toward signage that explicitly details the policy. They were also issued a trespassing warning.