ESCORT PROBLEMS: A guest at the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza got a little more than he bargained for when he arranged for an escort for the evening by calling a number in the back of a magazine in the hotel room. Police were called to the scene after the escort reported that her gentleman caller had hit her and thrown her out of his room. During the alleged scuffle, the escort stated she had lost an earring and that the man would not let her back into the room to retrieve it. The cop was skeptical, noting in his report, "The complainant never mentioned being battered when I first arrived. After I explained that I could not offer any help other than a lost item report, the complainant then said she was battered by the subject." Skepticism aside, the officer still had an investigation to conduct, and he made contact with the supposed batterer in his room. Upon entering the room, the officer noted it "appeared to be very neat and tidy with no visible signs of a struggle." For his part, the man stated that he never touched the escort. His story: "When the escort arrived he looked at her and asked if he could cancel because she was ugly. ... She was inside his room for maybe three minutes then she left." No earring was found and no arrests were made. It's unclear if the man dialed up a replacement.
DAZED AND CONFUSED: Two Plant High School students trying to live out a scene from a Richard Linklater movie instead found themselves in a situation reminiscent of an episode of Cops. One morning last month, the two juveniles attempted to slip off school grounds to sneak a little toke before class. Unfortunately for the pair, the eagle-eyed assistant principal spotted them before they could make a clean getaway. The administrator chased down the students to the corner of Cardenas and San Jose and escorted them back onto school grounds, where the boys were immediately searched. Their secret stash was quickly discovered and one of the boys was taken into custody.
SCRATCH & DENT: The vehicle of a Tampa police officer was allegedly punched or kicked while the officer was on patrol in Ybor City during the Gasparilla night parade. The officer reports that sometime during the evening, the police cruiser received a dent in the right rear quarter panel. For his part, the officer was dumbfounded as to how this dent could have occurred. Per the report: "The offense must have occurred while I was on foot patrol ... as I did not see or hear the bang that would have accompanied the dent." Ah, the old "The dent happened when I was parked" excuse. I've used this one, too.
From the files of the T.P.D.
