Woman faces charges after offer to pay customers' tab
'Lottery winner' has history of mental illness, daughter says
Thursday, October 15, 2009 3:15 AM
BY THEODORE DECKER
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The woman who police say caused pandemonium in a Far East Side store this week when she offered to pay for a shopping spree for several hundred customers has a history of sounding false alarms, court records show.
Linda Brown, 45, of 5682 Parliament Dr., likely will be charged with inducing panic after saying she wanted to blow her lottery winnings on a store full of strangers, an offer she couldn't make good on because she hadn't won the lottery, Columbus police said.
Brown was arrested on outstanding warrants after police were called in to quell the chaos at the store at 6055 E. Main St. Those warrants charge her with aggravated menacing, improper use of 911 and making false alarms during an incident last summer. Details of that weren't available.
Brown appeared in Franklin County Municipal Court yesterday morning and was jailed after failing to post bond. A mental evaluation was ordered.
"Patrol officers felt that she might be suffering from some kind of mental illness," said Sgt. Rich Weiner, a Columbus Police Division spokesman.
Weiner said officers went to the Burlington Coat Factory about 3 p.m. Tuesday, after store managers realized that Brown's claims of having won the lottery and the money to treat all customers in the store were bogus.
She had arrived in a Hummer stretch limousine and charged several thousand dollars to her debit card before apparently reaching the card's limit. She then left the store, supposedly to get more money for others waiting to make purchases.
Meanwhile, the crowds grew as shoppers in the store called friends and family to come and take advantage of the deal.
Austin Onipe, 42, said he had stopped in the store with his daughters about 2 p.m. and was told by another customer that a "good Samaritan" had offered to buy up to $500 in merchandise for each person in the store.
Burlington already was packed by that point, shopping carts were gone, and lines snaked through the store, he said.
"The whole parking lot pretty much was filled," said Onipe, who had grabbed a suitcase to fill with items.
When police arrived and managers announced that Brown couldn't back up her offer, some in the crowd became angry and began throwing things, Onipe said. Most just left their merchandise where it was and walked out, leaving the store a mess and requiring it to close.
The store reopened yesterday afternoon, after employees spent the night and most of the morning putting things back in order. Managers wouldn't discuss the situation.
Brown's daughter, Quiana Robinson, told WBNS-TV (Channel 10) that her mother didn't mean to cause problems.
"I want people to know my mom was not in her right mind," Robinson, 28, said. "She has not been on her medication."
Robinson, of the Far East Side, said that Brown has suffered with mental illness since she was 18.
"When she gets off her medication, she's going to do extravagant things," Robinson said.
Court records and police reports show a string of erratic behavior by Brown.
In 2002, she was convicted of improper use of 911 and telephone harassment.
In 2006, she reported to police that strangers were following her through the drive-through of a Far East Side McDonald's.
But a witness told police that the strangers behind her were legitimate customers. They wanted only to exchange a Happy Meal.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten...TORY.ART_ART_10-15-09_B3_EKFCJAP.html?sid=101
----------------------------
Yeah, it sure is a riot.
'Lottery winner' has history of mental illness, daughter says
Thursday, October 15, 2009 3:15 AM
BY THEODORE DECKER
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The woman who police say caused pandemonium in a Far East Side store this week when she offered to pay for a shopping spree for several hundred customers has a history of sounding false alarms, court records show.
Linda Brown, 45, of 5682 Parliament Dr., likely will be charged with inducing panic after saying she wanted to blow her lottery winnings on a store full of strangers, an offer she couldn't make good on because she hadn't won the lottery, Columbus police said.
Brown was arrested on outstanding warrants after police were called in to quell the chaos at the store at 6055 E. Main St. Those warrants charge her with aggravated menacing, improper use of 911 and making false alarms during an incident last summer. Details of that weren't available.
Brown appeared in Franklin County Municipal Court yesterday morning and was jailed after failing to post bond. A mental evaluation was ordered.
"Patrol officers felt that she might be suffering from some kind of mental illness," said Sgt. Rich Weiner, a Columbus Police Division spokesman.
Weiner said officers went to the Burlington Coat Factory about 3 p.m. Tuesday, after store managers realized that Brown's claims of having won the lottery and the money to treat all customers in the store were bogus.
She had arrived in a Hummer stretch limousine and charged several thousand dollars to her debit card before apparently reaching the card's limit. She then left the store, supposedly to get more money for others waiting to make purchases.
Meanwhile, the crowds grew as shoppers in the store called friends and family to come and take advantage of the deal.
Austin Onipe, 42, said he had stopped in the store with his daughters about 2 p.m. and was told by another customer that a "good Samaritan" had offered to buy up to $500 in merchandise for each person in the store.
Burlington already was packed by that point, shopping carts were gone, and lines snaked through the store, he said.
"The whole parking lot pretty much was filled," said Onipe, who had grabbed a suitcase to fill with items.
When police arrived and managers announced that Brown couldn't back up her offer, some in the crowd became angry and began throwing things, Onipe said. Most just left their merchandise where it was and walked out, leaving the store a mess and requiring it to close.
The store reopened yesterday afternoon, after employees spent the night and most of the morning putting things back in order. Managers wouldn't discuss the situation.
Brown's daughter, Quiana Robinson, told WBNS-TV (Channel 10) that her mother didn't mean to cause problems.
"I want people to know my mom was not in her right mind," Robinson, 28, said. "She has not been on her medication."
Robinson, of the Far East Side, said that Brown has suffered with mental illness since she was 18.
"When she gets off her medication, she's going to do extravagant things," Robinson said.
Court records and police reports show a string of erratic behavior by Brown.
In 2002, she was convicted of improper use of 911 and telephone harassment.
In 2006, she reported to police that strangers were following her through the drive-through of a Far East Side McDonald's.
But a witness told police that the strangers behind her were legitimate customers. They wanted only to exchange a Happy Meal.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten...TORY.ART_ART_10-15-09_B3_EKFCJAP.html?sid=101
----------------------------
Yeah, it sure is a riot.
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