Police blotter
The following accounts were taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.
Fugitive almost escapes
A North Carolina bail bondsman nearly lost a fugitive in his custody after stopping in Grovetown to buy gas last week.
Matthew Joseph Weaver, of Wilmington, N.C., told police that a man he was returning to North Carolina tried to steal his truck when he stopped at a Pilot Gas Station at 4091 S. Belair Road at about 4 a.m. on June 25.
Weaver said his fugitive, of Milington, Tenn., jumped into the driver seat of his truck, started it and tried to flee while he was at the gas pump.
The bail bondsman jumped into the bed of the truck as the man drove away, according to a Columbia County Sheriff's Office report. Weaver then broke the back window of his truck and struggled with the man before finally regaining control.
He drove back to the gas station and notified police.
The man admitted to stealing the truck, but Weaver refused to press charges.
Forgery suspected
A Martinez woman was arrested Tuesday after police say she tried to forge her mother's signature on a stolen check for a drug store purchase.
Sheri Cay Cortez, 34 , of the 700 block of Gentlewind Lane, allegedly bought $58.81 worth of merchandise from a Martinez Walgreens at 3900 Washington Road using a check stolen from her mother and signed her mother's name to the check, according to a police incident report.
Cortez even told the cashier that she was worried the check might not clear because she recently had some checks stolen, the report stated.
The police report did not specify how police were notified, but deputies arrived at the Walgreens and detained Cortez.
Officers called Cortez's mother, who came to the store and confirmed that the check had been stolen. She also confirmed that the signature on the check was not hers.
Police arrested Cortez for first degree forgery. She posted a $2,600 bond and was released from jail Wednesday.
Burglar caught in act
Sheriff's deputies said they caught a burglar in the act on Monday.
Melanie Rose Chandler, assistant manager of the Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins location at 4366 Washington Road in Evans, reported to authorities that she suspected one of her employees of stealing from the company.
At closing time Monday, at about 10 p.m., Chandler said she thought Floyd Cowan IV, 18, of the 2200 block of Rosier Road in Augusta, propped open the back door to prevent it from locking.
After the two had left, Chandler waited a while and returned to find Cowan's car parked in the rear of the ice cream shop. She also saw him inside the building, according to a police report.
She phoned police, who found him inside the store.
Cowan later admitted to trying to steal about $1,500 from the company, the report stated.
Officers arrested Cowan for burglary. He posted a $10,100 bond and was released from jail Tuesday.