Braums in Jenks and 200 kids

[RecycleMichael]

Police disperse crowd of students at Braum's near Jenks school

By ZACK STOYCOFF World Staff Writer
Published: 5/25/2012 

Tulsa police broke up a crowd of more than 200 children Thursday afternoon at a restaurant near Jenks Middle School after citing two for trespassing and arresting one child's mother, police said. The children gathered in the parking lot of Braum's at 2825 E. 101st St., about a block west of the school, after they were let out early on the final day before the school's summer break, police said.

Two security guards working for the restaurant and a police officer who was in the area requested additional officers to help clear the children at the restaurant's request, Capt. Richard Alexander said. As they waited, the police officer pulled over a woman who was driving an SUV about 40 mph in the parking lot as two young girls hung on the outside, police said. The driver, Brandy Marie Wilkinson, 35, is the mother of one of the children who was at the scene, Alexander said.

The officer intended to ticket her for reckless driving but she threatened to leave and shouted obscenities, an arrest report says. She was arrested on complaints of reckless driving and obstructing police. The children gathered to watch as the woman was arrested but left without incident when additional officers arrived about 2:20 p.m., Alexander said.

Although the crowd's size "was a concern at first" for the officer's safety, the children were never hostile, he said.

Police said the restaurant has a history of problems with large groups of students fighting and causing disturbances on its property. The restaurant had specifically banned two of the children who assembled there Thursday, which is why they were ticketed for trespassing, Alexander said.

"Large crowds are not unusual for that area," he said. "It's something we've been dealing with throughout the area after the students are let out of school. "We've been doing a good job of keeping the (Braum's parking) lot clear, but in this case this was a very busy part of the afternoon and one officer couldn't do it alone."

Alexander said one officer estimated the crowd Thursday at about 100 children, but police said in a press release Friday that it was estimated at more than 200. Alexander said he was unsure how that compared to the size of previous crowds.

Jenks Public Schools spokeswoman Bonnie Rogers said the district is aware of the problem but has worked with Braum's for years "to create a situation where they can receive business in a controlled manner." While some businesses in the area have prohibited students from gathering on their property, Braum's has chosen not to do so, company spokesman Terry Holden said. The restaurant instead hires security to ensure that students are safe and do not cause problems, he said.

Jenks Middle School Principal Rob Miller regularly makes announcements telling students to behave at the restaurant and asks parents to help convey the message, Rogers said. "It's a situation where we want to make sure our students are safe, but it is a situation where, once they leave our campus, they're not really in our jurisdiction anymore," she said. She said most of the students at the restaurant Thursday were well-behaved and were visiting with friends or celebrating the last day of school.


Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/specialprojects/news/crimewatch/article.aspx?subjectid=450&articleid=20120525_450_0_Tulsap94810

[RecycleMichael]

We got the Chicken Hut, Jenks got the Braums.

[DTowner]

"As they waited, the police officer pulled over a woman who was driving an SUV about 40 mph in the parking lot as two young girls hung on the outside, police said. The driver, Brandy Marie Wilkinson, 35, is the mother of one of the children who was at the scene, Alexander said."

That is messed up.

[RecycleMichael]

We all scream for ice cream

[Red Arrow]

I scream, you scream, We all scream for ice cream

[nathanm]

I'm a bit suspicious of the 40mph claim. Not that it makes driving around with kids hanging off the side of your SUV OK even if it is only at 20mph.

[RecycleMichael]

That's why they call it brain-freeze.

[Red Arrow]

I'm a bit suspicious of the 40mph claim. Not that it makes driving around with kids hanging off the side of your SUV OK even if it is only at 20mph.

Officers are trained to estimate vehicle speeds.

At least that is what I was told by the magistrate when I got a too fast for conditions ticket when I was still a teen.  My dad talked to the magistrate and the deal was cut that I got no points on my license so we let it go and paid the ticket.

[nathanm]

Officers are trained to estimate vehicle speeds.

They are indeed, however I have seen studies that show that it doesn't help that much. They're usually better than you or I, but they're still often off by more than 25% with a visual estimation, as I recall. Yes, I have actually wasted decades (ok, more like a decade and a half) of my life looking at mundane crap like that on the Interwebs.

[Red Arrow]

They are indeed, however I have seen studies that show that it doesn't help that much.

That was my implication when I mentioned the trial by phone.

[patric]

They are indeed, however I have seen studies that show that it doesn't help that much. They're usually better than you or I, but they're still often off by more than 25% with a visual estimation, as I recall. Yes, I have actually wasted decades (ok, more like a decade and a half) of my life looking at mundane crap like that on the Interwebs.

An educated guess is often colored by the intended use of that guess, regardless of who you are or what your training is.

[Vision 2025]

"As they waited, the police officer pulled over a woman who was driving an SUV about 40 mph in the parking lot as two young girls hung on the outside, police said. The driver, Brandy Marie Wilkinson, 35, is the mother of one of the children who was at the scene, Alexander said."

That is messed up.

The funny part is would take a Nitrous bottle to get an SUV up to 40 in that parking lot!

[nathanm]

The funny part is would take a Nitrous bottle to get an SUV up to 40 in that parking lot!

There are probably three or four models that are capable of it. It would take a really good launch, though. I'd go test my hypothesis, but I don't really feel like getting arrested today.

[Red Arrow]

I'd go test my hypothesis, but I don't really feel like getting arrested today.

How about later this week?  Inquiring minds want to know.

[nathanm]

How about later this week?  Inquiring minds want to know.

I suspect I won't be any more interested in being arrested then. Looks like I'd have about 225 feet to accelerate. Should be doable...