Just before Christmas, a Willimantic, Connecticut, man was arrested in a local Stop & Shop. Many times when you hear about an arrest in a grocery or convenience store, the charges are related to property crimes, burglary or shoplifting. In this case, the man faced charges associated with four warrants before he even entered the store.
According to reports, the man appeared in court on Tuesday, Dec. 24, after his Monday arrest. The man faced charges that included breach of peace, interfering with officers, failure to appear and probation violations. He's currently being held on bail of $60,000.
Police report that they arrived at a residence where the 23-year-old man was staying on the evening of Dec. 23. At around 9 pm, police approached the home. The 23-year-old man fled the scene, running a fourth of a mile with four police officers in pursuit.
The man ran into a Stop & Shop grocery store in an apparent attempt to elude the officers. Police split up to ensure the man could not get out of the store and escape. They were able to arrest the man in the store without further incident, indicating the man was probably cooperative at that point.
The man was already facing allegations associated with four separate warrants. According to police, the man's flight from officers and attempt to hide in the store caused additional charges. When faced with a possible arrest, running away is never the best course of action – especially if your actions could put bystanders in danger. Despite fear and emotional responses, it's important to face a potential arrest with a level head to ensure charges don't pile up and you don't jeopardize a future defense. It's best to let your criminal defense attorney build a defense against the charges you are facing rather than racking up additional charges.
Source: The Bulletin, "Windham police: Suspect fled into grocery store" Adam Benson, Dec. 24, 2013