Wild ride
A California woman stole a flatbed truck from a storage area on Allen St. near the Manhattan Bridge at about 2:30 a.m. Wed. March 21 and took it on a wild ride Downtown, careening down Water St., hitting several vehicles including three police cars and ending on State and Bridge Sts. where she hit a fire hydrant, police said. Erin T. Packham, 38, who gave police a Rancho Mirage, Calif. address, was charged with grand larceny auto, driving while intoxicated, reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident and resisting arrest. She sustained a head injury and was taken to Bellevue Hospital where she underwent surgery last week. She reportedly had been arrested 10 times since 1990 in California and Oregon on traffic charges.
Teen arrested
A teenager who was drinking from an open beer container at the corner of Greene and Spring Sts. at 12:30 a.m. Tues. March 21 fled when an officer approached, and when he was apprehended swung his arms wildly and hit the arresting officer, police said. The 15-year-old suspect, whose name was not released, was in possession of a forged New York State identity card and was charged as a juvenile, police said.
Photo fight
A resident of Greene St. between Broome and Spring Sts. became suspicious of a man sitting in a car parked across the street from his apartment at 11:30 p.m. March 15, so he took a photo of the car, including its license plate, police said. The resident then went up to the car and asked the man what he was doing there. “I’m going to break that [expletive] camera,” replied the man who got out of the car and punched the resident several times in the face, police said. By the time the resident returned to the scene with police, the suspect and the car were gone.
Soho punch up
Five boys between the ages of 14 and 16 were arrested on Tuesday afternoon March 21 at the southeast corner of Mercer and Grand Sts. for attacking a 17-year-old male, punching him, breaking his glasses and stealing his hat, police said. Anti-crime officers from the First Precinct made the arrests.
Car jack attempt
First Precinct anti-crime officers arrested a man for trying to steal a car from a driver at 7:15 p.m. Wed. March 22 on Prince St. just east of Thompson St. The suspect, Daniel MacMasters, 43, punched the driver, dragged him from behind the wheel of his 2005 Ford Crown Victoria, and got into the driver’s seat, but the victim managed to fight him off, police said. The suspect ran into the arms of the plain-clothes officers as he tried to flee, police said.
Truck break-in
A thief broke the side and rear doors of a plumber’s truck parked at King and Greenwich Sts. shortly after noon Fri. March 17 and made off with plumbing tools valued at $2,200, police said.
Pharmacy theft
Two thieves entered the Duane Reade at 67 Broad St. at 8 a.m. Tues. March 21, walked behind the pharmacy counter, which was unattended, and fled with 20 diabetes test strip boxes valued at $1,745 police said.
Printing fight
An argument between two employees at Atwater America Graphics at, 350 Hudson St. between King and Charlton Sts. at 3 p.m. on March 17 turned violent when one of them picked up a tool, hit the victim in the face and punctured an eardrum, police said. The assailant fled.
Health club arrest
Police said they arrested Milton Brown, 37, at about 11:30 a.m. Tues. March 21, for attempting to enter a New York Sports Club location at 160 Water St. by using a stolen ID card. First Precinct anti-crime officers made the arrest and charged him with attempted burglary.
—Albert Amateau
WWW Downtown Express
