A woman was arrested on July 15 after being found in a vehicle in the middle of the road on Hampton Road.
A report had come in at 10 p.m. of a group of women driving recklessly near Sandringham Road and Estates Drive in Piedmont. A van was found on Hampton parked in the street with the hazard lights on, according to Piedmont Police Capt. Chris Monahan. One person was found in the vehicle in the driver’s seat. She showed signs of intoxication, according to Monahan.
The woman ignored officers command to exit the vehicle and was physically removed. While being handcuffed, she attempted to pull away from officers. She was placed in a patrol vehicle and kicked the plastic caging in the car, according to Monahan. He said she continued to be “combative” at the police station and also sought medical assistance.
Monahan said fire department personnel arrived and while securing her to a gurney, she kicked a police officer in the ear, causing “ringing” and a red mark. She was then taken to Highland Hospital. Eventually, she was charged with DUI, resisting arrest, and assaulting an officer.
On July 25, the Oakland Police Department received a call on a vehicle-to-vehicle shooting near Lake Park and Grand Avenue, according to a post on the Piedmont Police Department Facebook page. Piedmont police located one of the vehicles on Wildwood Avenue. Officers made contact with the occupant of the vehicle, who complied with instructions, according to the post. Oakland police officers then arrived and took over the investigation.
Around 2 a.m. on the morning of July 18, the city’s Automated License Plate Reader system detected a black BMW entering Piedmont. Officers saw the vehicle speeding near Highland and Oakland avenues at 4 a.m., according to Monahan. The vehicle then apparently crashed into Piedmont Park, causing damage to a bench and a drinking fountain.
The suspected driver attempted to flee on foot. Officers found the suspect hiding under a bench and took him into custody, according to Monahan. Recovered in the vehicle were multiple Amazon packages, license plates, burglary tools, and knives.
The Department also announced changes to its Animal Services Program. Previously, Piedmont partnered with the city of Emeryville. Two former Animal Control Officers are in the process of being reviewed to return to duty, which Monahan said should take about a month. Currently, a Community Service Officer is handling animal calls along with police officers.
“During this transitional period, we kindly ask for your patience and understanding as we work diligently to make necessary adjustments and hire additional staff members,” read a Police Department post on social media. “We are dedicated to assembling a capable and compassionate team that will continue to uphold the values and standards of the Piedmont Police Department. We would like to encourage residents to drop off licensing paperwork at the window in our lobby or in the mailbox out front. We will do our best to process licenses quickly and get tags back out via US mail. In-person licensing will still be available every Wednesday from 10 a.m.-12 noon.”