Crime in Brief

West Johnson Street and North Park Street: Pedestrian-car collision

An intoxicated pedestrian was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of West Johnson and North Park Streets on Monday night.

Madison Police Department Lt. Cory Nelson said the vehicle had the right of way. The pedestrian suffered minor injuries, and was taken to the hospital as a precaution, he said.  

Nelson said he did not believe the pedestrian was a University of Wisconsin student. 

State Street: Fraud

A man was arrested Saturday afternoon shortly after attempting to illegally purchase oxycodone for the second time at Community Pharmacy on State Street.

Dante Saunders, a 21-year-old Beloit man, first attempted to procure oxycodone from the pharmacy Dec.18. The prescription pad Saunders used to attempt to get the pharmaceuticals was stolen from an orthopedic clinic in the Milwaukee area.

When Saunders returned to the pharmacy Jan. 26, the pharmacist recognized him and attempted to stall him while calling the police. When a police officer arrived at the pharmacy, Saunders ran into Gorham Street, causing many drivers to slam on their brakes to avoid a collision.

The officer then chased Saunders down State Street, through a park, across a church parking lot, over a wall and onto a frozen part of Lake Mendota, where Saunders was apprehended. He was arrested for forgery, resisting arrest and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.

Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said offices see people who are addicted to pharmaceutical drugs, such as oxycodone, who end up becoming addicted to heroin.

“We’ve had a rash of robberies involving people trying to get oxycodone and other drugs, which have been written up across south central Wisconsin,” DeSpain said. “You have them try to obtain them through fraud like this guy.”