NEWS NEARBY: Waffle House Restroom Argument Escalates; Florida Fugitive Caught

 – Duluth Patch

A Waffle House customer, who became upset after another customer confronted him about why he had taken so long in the men’s restroom, was arrested after he allegedly threatened his verbal assailant with a handgun in the parking lot. The Aug. 18 incident began at the Waffle House at 1825 Pleasant Hill Road when the customer was asked by the other customer what he had been doing in the restroom with his mother.

A server at the restaurant told police that the two men became involved in a verbal dispute. According to witnesses, the verbal exchange continued in the parking lot as the two customers and their parties were heading to their vehicles to leave. The customer who had been confronted inside the restaurant reportedly removed a handgun from his mother’s car, pointed it at the head of the other customer and stated: “Say something now. What are you going to do now?” .

– Northeast Cobb Patch

When a stolen vehicle driven by a Florida man broke down Monday night on Interstate 75 in Cobb County, his luck eluding authorities back home ran out. 

Marietta Police have detained Thomas Heath, 34, whom law enforcement officials in Orange County, Fla., want to question in connection with the kidnapping and death of an Ocoee, Fla., man. Heath has been charged with grand theft auto.

Jay Stone, 30, a custodian at Walt Disney World, was found dead in his apartment Saturday, according to Orlando TV station WESH, which also reported that Heath and his family had befriended and moved in with the victim earlier this month. .

– Cartersville Patch

An armed man who had asked for directions pulled a gun and robbed a local trucker as a second suspect directed traffic onto Interstate 75 in Cartersville. 

The victim, a self-employed truck driver and local resident, said he withdrew $800 in gas money from about 5 p.m. Sunday, and noticed a white BMW following him, according to the report.

At Main Street and I-75, a man wearing a suit and tie approached the victim's car, which was in a turn lane, said he was lost and asked for directions.

The victim rolled down the window and the African-American man pulled a chrome revolver and said, "Give me the money." After the victim, 31, denied having any money, the robber struck him in the back of the head and said, "Don't [expletive] with me, give me the money." .

– Sandy Springs Patch

The nationwide crime trend of copper theft has hit Sandy Springs.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that police caught two men stealing wire at the Glenridge Connector overpass, earlier in August. And the paper reports that Tuesday, Georgia Department of Transporation workers learned 1,000 feet of cable and copper wiring was missing from a camera location on Ga. 400 at the Chattahoochee River.

In the earlier incident, two men stole nearly four miles of wiring from 50 light poles and streetlights, the AJC story said. The two were caught while trying to load the wires into their car.

Police Capt. Steve Rose told Sandy Springs Patch the stolen wire may be valued at about $30,000. .