By Jonathan L'Ecuyer
Staff Writer
—
An assault and battery charge was filed against a Friend Street woman stemming from an argument that reportedly took place in the Veterans Memorial Elementary School parking lot Tuesday afternoon.
A Webster Street man who lives across from the school called police at 4:26 p.m. Tuesday to report the assault, which reportedly took place after he explained to the woman that she had parked in a handicapped space.
According to the police report, when Erika R. Pettiford, of 28A Friend St., exited her vehicle, the man explained she couldn't park there. At that point, the man said, Pettiford became irate.
The sign designating the space as handicapped only had fallen, but the man said he had put the sign on a chair where in front of the space where it is still in clear view of motorists.
The 35-year-old woman told the man she was "just picking up her kid" and then proceeded to walk over to the chair holding the sign and kick it over. The force of the contact sent the sign "flying through the air" toward the 60-year-old man whose left arm was struck, causing a two-inch slice.
When police went to Pettiford's apartment later Tuesday afternoon to discuss the incident, the woman reportedly admitted parking in the handicapped spot for one minute. She said as soon as she exited the vehicle, the man began screaming at her. She said he called her a moron and used profanity before finally saying he was going to call police.
She told police she then moved her vehicle to another space, walked over to the chair, and kicked it over.
However, she said she was unaware the sign had hit the man.
She said "all the mothers" park there when picking up their children and that she didn't appreciate that the man was yelling and swearing at her, especially in front of children.
An officer informed Pettiford that a criminal complaint would be filed against her on a charge of assault and battery.
In other news from the Gloucester police log:
Four vehicles on Magnolia Avenue were reportedly broken into sometime Monday night or Tuesday morning, according to reports filed Tuesday night and Wednesday.
According to police reports, all four cars had items stolen from them. Police said they have no suspects.
The reports come just a day after three other Magnolia Avenue residents reported their cars were broken into Monday night or early Tuesday.
A Magnolia Avenue woman called police at 8:24 p.m. Tuesday to report an iPod, CDs, and mobile Nintendo game system was stolen from her vehicle. In that case, the woman also said she suspected the person entered her home and stole an envelope containing $400, two cameras and a DVD player. The woman said she found the empty bank envelope inside her vehicle and noticed one of her home's window screens was off its track.
She also told police she believed the vehicle was locked but was not completely sure.
Another Magnolia Avenue resident called police at 11:34 Wednesday morning saying two of her vehicles, both of which were left unlocked, had been entered. Stolen were a GPS unit, 50 CDs, $60 in cash and change and two pairs of Oakley glasses. The glove box inside one of the vehicles was broken as a result of the larceny, she added.
A third Magnolia Avenue woman said change was the only item missing from her vehicle, which she believed was also entered overnight Monday. There was no indication if that vehicle's doors were locked.
A 22-year-old Magnolia Avenue man reportedly fell off his bicycle at the intersection of Magnolia and Western avenues at around 1 a.m. Wednesday.
Manchester police arrived at the scene first and waited with the man, who sustained a head injury, until Gloucester officials arrived. The Gloucester rescue squad transported the man to Addison Gilbert Hospital.
An Aleen Terrace man reported his Sovereign Bank ATM card stolen at 8:19 a.m. Wednesday. He said there was already an unauthorized purchase made with the card for $39.20.
The rescue squad transported a Rackliffe Street man and a Heights of Cape Ann woman to Addison Gilbert Hospital Wednesday morning.
