Maryvillian charged in incident at drive-thru
By Jessica Stithof The Daily Times Staff
Originally published: April 01. 2008 3:01AM
Last modified: April 01. 2008 1:32AM
A 35-year-old Maryville man was arrested after he was accused of beating on the drive-thru window of McDonald's, cursing at employees and threatening another customer with a knife Sunday night.
Shelley Dale Lovegrove, 35, Wilkinson Pike, Maryville, was arrested by Maryville police officers at 11:41 p.m. on charges of aggravated assault, public intoxication and possession of a Schedule VI substance (marijuana). He was also served a warrant from a previous incident charging him with simple assault.
Maryville Police Chief Tony Crisp said an officer responded to McDonald's, 803 Foothills Mall Drive, Maryville, on the report of an intoxicated man beating on the drive-thru window.
Upon arrival, the officer saw Lovegrove standing at the window, but he attempted to return to his car when he saw the officer. Crisp said the man "was walking with a cane but also appeared to be impaired (by alcohol)."
The officer reported the man smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech and admitted that he'd had a couple of alcoholic drinks, Crisp said.
Crisp said the man had placed an order at the restaurant and was asked to pull up past the drive-thru window while they prepared his order. In the meantime, another customer had pulled up to the window to receive his food order.
Lovegrove got out of his car and went back to the window where he stood between the window and another customer's vehicle.
Crisp said a clerk at the restaurant said Lovegrove had been beating on and opening the drive-thru window and was cursing the McDonald's staff.
The customer who had pulled up to the window, a 26-year-old Alcoa man, said Lovegrove attempted to sell him narcotics and then "threatened to cut him" with a knife, Crisp said.
The Alcoa man reported that Lovegrove produced a knife but was unable to open it due to the level of his intoxication.
While officers were on the scene, Crisp said Cynthia Lee Cable, 44, Davenport Road, Maryville, got out of the vehicle that Lovegrove had occupied and was pointing her finger at an officer while yelling at him. The officer said he asked Cable to step back, but she screamed "no."
The officer reported that Cable was unsteady on her feet, smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech. She was arrested on a charge of public intoxication.
Crisp said officers found a pocketknife in the waistband of Lovegrove's pants and a small bag of marijuana was found in the console of the vehicle he occupied. He said Lovegrove referred to the bag as an "ounce."
A male juvenile was with Lovegrove in the vehicle and officers released the boy to the custody of his mother. A female juvenile was with Cable in the vehicle and was released to the custody of her father.
Cable was free on a $275 bond pending a 9 a.m. April 8 hearing in Blount County General Sessions Court.
Lovegrove was free on bonds totaling $7,775 pending hearings at 9 a.m. April 8 and 9 a.m. April 9 in Blount County General Sessions Court.
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