A Brooklyn Park man whose robbery of the Forest Lake Perkins was foiled by local residents was charged in Washington County Court earlier this month.
Douglas Lamont Gatlin Jr., 25, was charged July 5 with one count each of simple robbery, receiving stolen property, first-degree criminal damage to property and obstructing the legal process. He was arrested after Perkins diners tackled him to the ground after he allegedly took money from the business’s cash register.
According to court records, when police arrived, Gatlin was attempting to fight off the people who were holding him on the ground. Officers attempted to handcuff Gatlin, but he allegedly tried to pinch, push and kick officers, and once the handcuffs were in place, he refused to walk. Ultimately, several officers were needed to carry Gatlin to a squad car as he continued to resist. His attempts to get free included allegedly kicking a large dent in a squad car door.
Witnesses told police that they had seen Gatlin walk into the restaurant, go behind the till and grab cash out of a cash register (police reportedly found about $400 in Gatlin’s pockets). When he tried to flee, Gatlin was subdued by customers and employees.
Police ran the plates on Gatlin’s vehicle and allegedly learned that it had been stolen from Brooklyn Park. There were some golf clubs in the car, and based on evidence in the surrounding area, police suspected that Gatlin had used one of the clubs to bash in three windows of vehicles in the Perkins parking lot as well as a vehicle parked at the Forest Lake Wal-Mart.
Threats
A Forest Lake man has been charged with making terroristic threats after he allegedly said he would leave dead bodies at the Buddhist temple in the city if the temple didn’t keep the noise down during a festival.
According to court records, James Paul Miller, 48, allegedly visited the Lao Temple and Vipassana Center June 24, during a preparation time for an annual festival held at the temple. Miller allegedly told a woman who was helping set up for the festival that he lived near the temple, which is located behind Cub Foods, and he did not want to hear loud music coming from the temple during the festival. He said the music should be turned down or stopped completely.
The woman reportedly told Miller that the temple had a city permit to play music and hear speakers over a loudspeaker system. At that point, Miller allegedly became upset, telling the woman that if the temple attendees weren’t careful, he would “level the place” and that should he do so, “there will be a lot of dead bodies.” Then, he drove away.
Police located Miller, who allegedly admitted to making the threats, comparing the noise from the temple to him firing a gun from his backyard.
The following are other recent Washington County court cases related to the Forest Lake area:
• Thomas Jacob McGovern, 19, of Stacy, was charged May 25 with a fifth-degree drug crime.
• J.C. Joseph Pechaver, 34, of Forest Lake, was sentenced June 1 for a fifth-degree drug crime.
• Damian Thomas Lauth, 31, of Stacy, was charged June 1 with a fifth-degree drug crime related to a case investigated by the Forest Lake Police Department.
• Joshua Kyle Olson, 35, of Fridley, was sentenced June 6 for fleeing in a motor vehicle related to a case investigated by the Forest Lake Police Department.
• Nicholas Thomas Lopez, 30, of St. Paul, was charged June 6 with a fifth-degree drug crime related to a case investigated by the Forest Lake Police Department.
• David Joseph Andrle, 32, of Forest Lake, was sentenced June 8 for a predatory offender violation.
• Michael Howard Ogary, 18, of Hugo, was charged June 14 with a fifth-degree drug crime related to a case investigated by the Forest Lake Police Department.
• Andrew Matthew Kuehn, 18, of Stillwater, was charged June 14 with a fifth-degree drug crime related to a case investigated by the Forest Lake Police Department.
• Lloyd David Belmore, 28, of Ham Lake, was charged June 20 with a fifth-degree drug crime related to a case investigated by the Forest Lake Police Department.
• Dirk Anthony Hummel, of Forest Lake, was charged June 20 with a fifth-degree drug crime.
• Cody Melvin Clark, 21, of Stockholm, South Dakota, was charged June 21 with a fifth-degree drug crime related to a case investigated by the Forest Lake Police Department.
• Michael Allen Johnson, 24, of White Bear Lake, was charged June 23 with a fifth-degree drug crime and possession of a dangerous weapon related to a case investigated by the Forest Lake Police Department.
• Jacob Ronald Lewis, 29, of Balsam Lake, Wisconsin, was charged June 29 with a fifth-degree drug crime related to a case investigated by the Forest Lake Police Department.
• Nicholas Robert Ecker, 29, of Stacy, was charged June 29 with DWI.
• Richard Robert Wemyess, 46, address unknown, was charged June 30 with being a predatory offender who knowingly violates his registration requirements related to a case investigated by the Forest Lake Police Department.
• Thomas James Vigness, 29, of St. Anthony, was charged July 1 with theft related to a case investigated by the Forest Lake Police Department.