Watkinsville Police: Unmanned, Runaway SUV Strikes Oconee DFCS Office Building

No one was hurt when an unmanned SUV struck a Watkinsville office building last week, but the structure was significantly damaged, according to Watkinsville Police Chief Lee O'Dillon.

In his weekly news release, O'Dillon said an Eatonton man pulled up to about 3:40 p.m. on March 14 and parked his 1998 Toyota Land Cruiser but left the engine running while he went inside.

The SUV rolled across the parking lot and struck the back of the building causing significant damage, he reported.

No other vehicles were involved and no one was injured.

O'Dillon recapped some of the other incidents that police responded to during the week ending on March 18.

• A 2002 KIA Sportage was hit from behind by a 1997 Toyota 4-Runner on Main Street at Whitehall Road on March 12 about 3:15 p.m. No one was injured. A 20-year-old Athens man was charged with following too closely.

• At 5:15 p.m. on March 12, the driver of a 2000 Ford Explorer bumped the back of a 2005 Toyota Matrix on Experiment Station Road at North Main Street. Neither driver was injured. A 47-year-old Watkinsville resident was charged with following too closely.

• Police were called to a domestic situation at a Concord Drive address on the evening of March 13. During a heated argument between a parent and a teenager, the son kicked open a door causing extensive damage to the door and frame. This was not the first time police had been called to this address for similar incidents. The 17-year-old son was arrested and charged with criminal trespass.

• On Saturday morning about 10 o'clock, the driver of a 1994 Volvo pulled into the path of a southbound 1998 Saturn on Ga. Highway 15 near Jittery Joe’s. No one was injured. An Athens woman, 53, was charged with failure to yield to the right of way.

Watkinsville police responded to a total of 33 calls within city limits between Monday, March 12 through Sunday, March 18.

For questions about this blotter, email stephanie.gross@patch.com. Click here for Oconee Patch's crime reporting policies.

Correction: The age of the Watkinsville resident charged with following too closely was incorrectly reported.  It has been changed.