posted June 21, 2007
A man police said had a machete at Sir Goony's Family Fun Center on Brainerd Road said he was just out looking for his pet racoons who had gotten out.
Paul Ralph Vandiver told General Sessions Court Judge Christie Sell he had shorts on and was using the machete to cut through a blackberry patch.
Judge Sell found him guilty of carrying a dangerous weapon and sentenced him to 11 months and 29 days in the workhouse. It is suspended after serving 90 days.
Officer G. Forbes said when he arrived at the fun center employees had possession of the two and a half foot machete.
The officer, questioned by assistant public defender Tom Landis, said no one was threatened.
Officer Forbes said Vandiver lives in a nearby hobo camp, and he said he has had a number of contacts with him.
He said Vandiver had silver paint on his hands and around his mouth and is known to huff paint.
Vandiver claimed he had been spray painting a bicycle.
Prosecutor Lila Statom asked how he got the paint on his mouth and asked him, "Don't you like silver paint?"
Vandiver replied, "No, I like gold paint."
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