A night on the town in old Key West

 

BY RALPH MORROW

MANAGING EDITOR

This is not how you want to spend a night in Key West.

This is according to the Key West Police report of how one woman (married) spent her night with people with whom she was not acquainted and in apartments whose location she could not confirm. Was she drinking? Of course.

This is how it went down, according to the police report. Names of all but the police officers have been changed, not to protect the innocent, but to give some semblance of the truth to this story. We’re going to call the 35-year-old “victim” Gladys. We’re going to call her new “friend” Sara. The first reporting officer is Kathyann Wanciak.

Gladys and her husband, “Bill,” had had an argument. Surprise. So, Gladys went to downtown Key West by herself.  At 11 p.m., Friday, her first stop we believe was at the Bottle Cap Lounge, where she met “Sara,” who seemed trustworthy enough as a person with whom to hang and party. “Sara” was with two men whom she described as her “cousins.”

Later, “Sara” said she needed to check on her two children at her apartment, so the foursome went to “Sara’s” apartment, where two other male “cousins” were.  “Gladys” told Officer Wanciak she did not know the location of the apartment other than it was in Bahama Village. Are we seeing any problems yet?

When they got to the apartment, “Sara” and one of the males went upstairs.

Since her cell phone’s battery was dead, “Gladys” said she asked the other three males if one of them would drive her home. And one offered to do so. Meanwhile, two of the four men left the apartment and she “was hanging with one of the males, who was described as ‘mean looking.’” That’s the one, of course, who grabbed “Gladys’s” purse and began pulling it away from her. “Gladys” said she struggled with him, trying to hold on to the purse, until he got on top of her and would not get off.

“Gladys” reported that while they were struggling that must have been when her attacker grabbed her two diamond silver bracelets and a gold chain from around her neck. “Gladys” said by this time (she said 2 a.m.) they were outside the building, but he would not let her leave for hours. Yes, as she was making her statement, “Gladys” had abrasions on her arms and legs, but refused rescue. Of course.

Eventually, “Gladys” got loose and ran away, perhaps on or past Whitehead Street, coming upon a man on a bike who said he would help her. “Gladys” said she wanted a taxi, but had no money. It was now 5 a.m. “Gladys” did get a ride and told the taxi driver her husband would pay the fare.

At last at home, “Gladys,” with her husband’s phone, called the police. By now, it was 7 o’clock Saturday morning.

Sgt. Zamora was in the picture now and elicited a story from “Gladys” that she started her evening at Rick’s. No, it was the Lazy Gecko. Finally, she settled on the Bottle Cap.

The officers got the phone number for “Sara,” but called the number to no results.

Officer Wanciak then “advised (“Gladys) to get some sleep and when she woke up to write a full witness statement and call the police department. I told (“Gladys”) to ask for me so if there was any new information it could be added to the report. At this time there is no further information on this case.”

Good night. Or good morning.

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