A Gallia Street Marathon gas station became a hotspot for police calls Thursday evening, with officers returning twice in two hours before being dispatched next door to McDonald’s for yet another report.
The first call came just after 6 p.m., when the station manager reported receiving a counterfeit $100 bill between 4:30 and 5 p.m. She told police she did not believe the customer passed it intentionally but was required to report it. Officers briefly detained the man who used the bill, gathered information, and filed a report.
Less than two hours later, police were back at the same gas station after a complaint that a customer was threatening employees over product prices. Officers found the man and his companion in a gray Chrysler van outside and issued both a trespass order, barring them from the property.
Just minutes after clearing that call, officers were redirected next door to McDonald’s. A passerby reported seeing a woman in her 30s lying on the ground holding her head while a man hovered over her. Officers determined both individuals were homeless and panhandling in the lot between the two businesses. The woman said she was suffering from a migraine but refused medical treatment. Both were checked and cleared by police.
The Bigger Picture
Police said the back-to-back calls show how one busy corridor can quickly draw multiple emergency responses in a short period. From counterfeit money to disputes with staff and concerns about unhoused individuals, officers stress that each call must be checked — even when the outcomes are minor.