Sick Raccoon On Winter Island and Man Climbs Light Pole

The following is an excerpt from the Salem Police Department's Tuesday and Wednesday's police log. Police had to dispose of a sick raccoon on Winter Island and found two hypodermic needles in different parts of the city.

At 1:04 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a noise complaint on First Street.

At 3:24 a.m. Tuesday, police received a complaint about a "party causing a major disturbance" on Highland Avenue. Police advised the party to quiet down.

Police responded to Auburn Road at 7:33 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a man sleeping in a "banged up" vehicle. Police spoke with the man in the vehicle who was delivering papers in the neighborhood.

A possible rabid raccoon was spotted on Winter Island at 8:04 a.m. Tuesday. Animal Control was called and police responded to the island where they found the "gravely ill" raccoon in the roadway. According to the police log, "one round was used from the officer's service pistol to put the sick/injured animal to rest." DPW removed the animal from the roadway afterward.

At 10:24 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to Derby Street for a report of a man yelling in the street. The man was placed in protective custody.

At 11 a.m. Tuesday, an officer on patrol found a hypodermic needle on Boston Street.

At 12:38 p.m. Tuesday, an officer on patrol witnessed a possible drug transaction in a car in a parking lot along Highland Avenue. Police found a hypodermic needle on one of the men standing at the car. Upon search of the car, police found five bags of marijuana. One man was given a citation for marijuana possession. The other man was cited for driving an unregistered car and the car was towed from the scene.

At 1:56 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a pedestrian accident at the intersection of Lafayette and Harbor streets. Upon arrival, the pedestrian was laying in the street in the crosswalk. The driver said he was turning left from Harbor Street and did not see the pedestrian because of a blind spot. Police issued the driver a citation for failure to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk. The pedestrian was treated by EMS and the fire department.

At 4:52 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Gardner and Canal streets. There were no injuries.

At 5:31 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a motor vehicle accident on Highland Avenue. Police observed minor bumper damage. One of the drivers was transported to Salem Hospital with a possible back injury.

Police responded to Lafayette Street near Palmer Street at 7:27 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a woman being threatened by a group of people. The woman told police she got in a fight with her boyfriend's "other girlfriend." The other woman was angry and said some things the woman interpreted as threats, police said. Police told the woman to stay away from the woman and to take it up with her boyfriend at a later time.

At 7:31 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to Crombie Street for a report of larceny.

At 9:55 p.m. Tuesday, a resident of School Street called police to report a "suspicious odor" coming from the apartment next door. The resident told police it was a "chemical smell" that she believed was "illegal in nature." When police arrived, they did not smell anything and told her to call back if it the smell became stronger.