By Joe Johnson
A man under the influence of meth became involved in a scuffle with a police officer at Walmart on Lexington Road Friday afternoon after he was caught trying to steal a wristwatch valued at $13, Athens-Clarke County police said.
A store loss prevention employee detained 36-year-old David Charles Bingham after seeing him allegedly fail to scan the watch at a self-check-out station, according to police.
Bingham initially was compliant when taken to the loss prevention office, but when an officer arrived to arrest him, he violently resisted in the tight confines of the office, police said.
The officer managed to handcuff only one wrist when Bingham reportedly knocked her to the ground and tried to leave the office but was prevented by Walmart employees.
According to police Bingham said that “he was under the influence of methamphetamine and that it contributed to his behavior.”
He was found in possession of two pocketknives, one of which police believed was used to remove the watch from its packaging, and a pair of counterfeit $10 bills.
The Florida Avenue resident was charged with theft by shoplifting, battery, simple battery on a law enforcement officer and second-degree forgery.
Additionally, he was served with a warrant for failure to appear in Athens-Clarke County Municipal Court, police said.