Police: Joshua Williams Broke Into Lodi Pet Groomer, Ripped Out Toilet, Crashed Stolen Truck Into Power Pole
LODI (CBS13) – Officers say a man went on a vandalism rampage in Lodi on Wednesday afternoon.
The incident started at Peggy's Grooming, a pet groomer next to the Lodi Memorial Park & Cemetery. Lodi police say a man – 27-year-old Joshua Williams – forced his way inside the salon, then started destroying stuff.
Williams allegedly destroyed tore some lockers off a wall and even ripped a toilet out of the floor, causing the business to flood.
Police say the salon owner's husband was assaulted by Williams as he tried to get him to leave.
Workers from a business next door were able to restrain Williams for a time, but police say he was able to escape.
It's back to business for Peggy Janke and her grooming business Thursday.
But, the shop she's owned for 30 years, now needs a lot of work.
"Now, the bathroom is straightened up compared to what it was yesterday. He tore that toilet off the ground!"
Janke says, "It went from he looks like a nice kid to, crazy."
She thought he needed help, so she called police
"I'm trying to dial 911 and all of a sudden my door opens," she said.
Williams walked in and straight to her bathroom.
She heard him destroying the place before she saw anything.
"I said, "oh my God! He's tearing up the shop! It was like superhuman strength, I've never seen anything like that."
Williams ran over to the cemetery, stole a landscaping company's truck, then led a short chase before crashing into a power pole on Pine Street. Two transformers exploded in the crash, and high voltage lines fell to the ground.
Officers were eventually able to arrest Williams at the scene. He is now facing numerous charges, including assault, felony vandalism, breaking and entering, and possession of narcotics.