MIFFLIN STREET

Battery

A Madison Police Department officer was allegedly battered by a homeless man and teamed up against by a second park attendee Wednesday afternoon.

The officer estimated the homeless man punched him in the head at least 25 times when the officer approached the suspect as someone who resembled a man being searched for in relation to a prior battery case, an MPD incident report said.

The suspect allegedly wrapped his arm around the officer’s neck, pushed his head down and simultaneously punched the officer, the report said.

According to the report, once the suspect had the situation under control, a second park patron stole the officer’s MPD hat and sunglasses, which had fallen off during the struggle.

The officer arrested both men while waiting for backup to arrive.

“He was calling for backup at the time this went on and officers were responding to help him, but this all took place in a very short period of time,” MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain said.

The officer was taken to a hospital for head injuries, including a golf ball-sized lump, the report said.

STATE STREET

Retail Theft

A 30-year-old Windsor, Wis., man was arrested for possession of heroin, concealed carry and retail theft Oct. 1 after a State Street store manager trapped the suspect in his store.

According to an MPD incident report, the owner of Insignia store called police after the suspect tried to leave the store with hundreds of dollars in stolen merchandise.

“Officers reported the accused thief was sweating profusely as he was wearing multiple layers of shirts and sweatshirts,” the report said. “Most were likely stolen.”

MPD also found stolen garments in the suspect’s backpack, likely from different downtown stores, and also found heroin inside the suspect’s wallet.

The suspect admitted to snorting heroin earlier in the evening at a State Street restaurant, the report said.

JUNCTION ROAD

Overdose

MPD were called to the scene when a 24-year-old Beaver Dam woman was found unconscious in the parking lot of a Junction Road gas station.

Police officers and firefighters arrived to find the woman’s 19-year-old friend issuing rescue breaths, an MPD incident report said.

While the woman was revived and taken to a local hospital, DeSpain said heroin overdoses are becoming a growing problem in Madison.

“They’ve been going up over the past year or year and a half, and from what I’ve heard from the task force, we’re on pace to have a record number of overdose deaths this year,” DeSpain said.

NORTHPORT DRIVE

Robbery

A man wearing a red stocking cap, a furry black coat and ace bandages covering his face and hands allegedly robbed a PDQ store on Northport Drive early Thursday morning, an MPD report said.

According to the report, the man allegedly entered the store and handed the clerk a note declaring he had a gun and knife and would kill her if she did not hand over all the money in the store.

The clerk abided by the suspect’s requests and was not injured. The suspect also took a number of cigarette packs before leaving, the report said.

DeSpain said anytime a store clerk is confronted by someone implying they are armed with a weapon, the clerk is advised to fulfill the suspect’s requests.

“We recommend people give them whatever it is that they are seeking to avoid being injured,” DeSpain said.