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Montgomery security guard convicted in shooting incident www.privateofficer.com
When the shooting was over, it was the Montgomery security guard who was under arrest, and Friday a Montgomery County jury convicted Clarence S. Dalton, 62, of shooting into an occupied vehicle.
Prosecutors contended Dalton repeatedly sprayed an innocent customer with Mace, and then fired into his car.
Dalton, of West Coosa Street, maintains he acted in self-defense and that the alleged victim was trying to run him over with his vehicle.
The jury agreed with prosecutors, convicting the security guard of the felony offense Friday in Circuit Court Judge Tracy McCooey’s courtroom.
Dalton was working for Freedom Patrol Service when he responded to a call Oct. 20, 2008, at Pacecar convenience store on Narrow Lane Road. The store clerk suspected that a customer, who ended up being the victim in the case, was using a stolen credit card.
It turned out that the victim had permission to use his nephew’s card to fill up a vehicle that was being driven to Dothan for business reasons.
Prosecutor Calvin Williams said Dalton pursued the victim, who was attempting to leave, followed him out to his vehicle, sprayed Mace on the man as he was getting into the vehicle and continued to spray him with it once he was inside.
When the victim continued to attempt to get away, Dalton shot the driver’s side front tire and then fired into the windshield, with this bullet lodging into the front passenger seat.
Dalton, who has no prior convictions, faces the possibility of serving between two and 20 years in prison.
“This was a classic case of a security guard overreacting under the circumstances,” Williams said.
“I think it sends the message that while we appreciate security guards and security companies, they will be held accountable if they overreact to circumstance such as this. They have to keep in bounds of the law and they can’t overreact. That’s why we have the Montgomery Police Department,” Williams added.
Dalton’s attorney, Julian McPhillips argued that his client was acting in self-defense. McPhillips said the victim was hostile toward the store clerk and Dalton and that the victim tried to hit Dalton with his vehicle. McPhillips also noted that the store called Dalton and asked him to come to the store.
“Mr. Dalton was really afraid for his life,” McPhillips said.
“This is far from over. We think this case is ripe for a post-judgment motion of acquittal and, the alternative, a new trial. Really, the video itself shows the car lunging,” McPhillips added.
The victim was treated for minor injuries, including an eye irritation, after he was sprayed with the mace and then pulled out of the vehicle.
Dalton’s supervisor was not charged in connection with this case.
Police charge man with groping woman at Vassar College www.privateofficer.com
Police charged the 22-year-old man with 10 counts of forcible touching in connection with the incidents.
A female student complained to town police Thursday at 9:30 a.m. that she had just been grabbed by an unknown man on the Vassar campus. Police said two other women had also been grabbed that day on campus.
Police searched the area and found a suspect on Raymond Avenue who matched the victims’ descriptions.
Town police had been investigating a series of similar incidents around the college and Arlington area since September. Police said the man was responsible for grabbing the buttocks of seven other women since September.
Town police Chief Thomas Mauro said the investigation and arrest were a result of the victims reporting what happened to police and cooperating with the investigation.
He also commended the “proactive assistance” of the Vassar College security staff and college administration over the past three months.
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Shoplifting scuffle turns into robbery charges www.privateofficer.com
Dominique Foster, 24, also allegedly knocked a customer down while running from the store, according to an affidavit from police Sgt. Carnell Williams presented during a court hearing Friday.
Deputy Prosecutor Cymber Gieringer said an off-duty police officer asked for assistance after he saw Foster run from store security officers, who reportedly saw her take an item from one department, walk into another department, and put the item in a Walmart bag.
Williams reported that the store employees stopped Foster and asked her to come with them to the security officer and she pushed both employees and struck them in the face, causing injuries to one person.
Foster also reportedly knocked a customer down before the off-duty officer could take her into custody, Gieringer said. The item found in the bag was a DVD which was returned to the store.
Circuit Judge Rob Wyatt Jr. set a $5,000 bond for Foster, who Gieringer said had no prior convictions, and told her to come back to court Jan. 5.
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Atlanta mall robbed of high-end coats, jeans www.privateofficer.com
The thief’s biggest score was 12 coats made out of the skins of ostrich, alligator and stingray, ranging in price from $4,000 to $8,000.
The man also made off with 25 pair of Antik jeans, which cost $150 to $200 each, eight $40-vests and $400 in cash that was in the register.
A security guard got a brief look at the man, described as black and standing 5-foot-8, but could offer no more details because the security guard only got a brief look at the criminal.
According to Atlanta police the security guard responded to the burglar alarm at 2:47 a.m. Wednesday at Georgio’s Big and Tall men’s store. Seconds after the security guard parked, a Black Dodge Durrango pulled behind him and a man armed with a handgun came up to the passenger side window.
The security guard sped off.
”The security guard advised that he did not get a good look at the other suspects, because he left,” Atlanta police spokesman officer Otis Redmond told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Saturday.
Two arrested in supermarket scuffle www.privateofficer.com
When Ukiah police arrived at Lucky’s, grocery store security officers were holding Sara Renee Muñoz and Michael Tinajero. Lucky’s employees told the UPD that Muñoz paid for cigarettes but also grabbed an item valued at less than $10 which she put in her purse.
According to the UPD, Muñoz returned the stolen item but refused to go back inside the store. It was then that Tinajero allegedly stood between Muñoz and the employee and told Muñoz to run.
Tinajero is alleged to have tried grabbing the employee and a struggle ensued in which Tinajero hit the employee several times, according to police.
Lucky’s employees came to assist and Muñoz then hit them, the UPD stated. An employee was able to restrain Muñoz and an off-duty UPD officer helped to restrain Tinajero. Police say they found a switchblade knife on Tinajero.
Muñoz was booked at county jail on suspicion of shoplifting and battery. Tinajero was also booked at county jail on suspicion of battery and possession of a switchblade knife.
