By Jean Cole
The head of Athens-Limestone Hospital says he did not damage the vehicle of a woman who blocked his driveway Saturday while attending a yard sale, preventing him from leaving his home.
Cary Joe Payne, 57, of 17173 Forrest Hills Drive, Athens, was arrested Wednesday after turning himself in on a warrant charging him with criminal mischief, according to Athens Police. He was released after posting $1,000 bond.
The incident occurred Saturday morning after a woman blocked Payne’s driveway to attend a yard sale across the street. The police were not present at the scene when the incident occurred Saturday. Payne was arrested on a citizen complaint and a magistrate issued an arrest warrant, records show.
According to the police report, a citizen reported that she was at a yard sale in the neighborhood and that Payne got on top of her car and yelled, “Whose car is this?”
The woman saw him and asked him to get off, which he did, according to the report. She claimed that his actions caused $1,000 damage to her car.
Police declined to release the name of the complainant.
A representative for Payne, who asked to remain anonymous, said he had been asked by the hospital’s chief executive officer Thursday to issue the following comments about the incident:
“It’s unfortunate that all of this has happened and he denies that he committed a crime or caused any damage to the woman’s vehicle. When the incident happened Saturday, he thought it would be over and that the parties would go on about their business. If he thought she was going to do this, he would have been more on guard. At first he was angry when he was arrested, but he understands that this (court) process has to work its course. The woman was trespassing (by parking in his driveway) and he asked her to move her vehicle. They exchanged words that you probably wouldn’t want your grandmother to hear. The next thing he knows, the city police called and said there was a warrant for him that he had done damage. He denies doing any damage.”
