Close Call: A woman asked a man she knew for a ride to the store. He agreed but then drove her to another location against her will, and started threatening her with bodily harm. When the mad motorist stopped the car, the woman jumped out and flagged down a passing police officer.

Assholes Among Us: The suspect in a shooting that left three people injured at a bar on N. Tryon St. struck a policeman in the face with his open hand, causing a small scratch and some swelling. Just to prove what a jerk he is, the culprit slapped the cop while he was tending to a woman at the scene who was having a seizure due the commotion of the shooting.

You Thought You Were In Trouble Before . . .: While investigating a fight at a restaurant on Woodlawn Road, a police officer was approached by one of the suspects who "raised his fists in a threatening manner," then charged the cop and grabbed him around the torso before being subdued and arrested.

Cuttin' Grass and Kickin' Ass: A disagreement broke out between two men who were dickering over the price of a lawnmower. Apparently the man who was interested in buying the mower felt the asking price was too high, and in order to convey these feelings to the seller, he punched him in the face. An all-out brawl erupted after that, during which time a car window was smashed.

Pool Closed Due to Stupidity: A maintenance man at a local apartment complex called police after he discovered that some no-good hooligans tossed at least a dozen pieces of lawn furniture into the complex's swimming pool. The report also indicated there were beer cans and other trash floating in the water.

Beer Baron: A convenience store manager reported that two young men walked into his store, and while one bought a pack of cigarettes, the other grabbed several cases of beer and fled the scene. The kid buying the cigarettes said he had no idea who the beer thief was.

Blotter items are chosen from the files of the Charlotte Police Department.