Handicap parking snafu lands man in jail

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A 63-year-old man was arrested Friday afternoon blocking in a parked car with shopping carts. What sparked the supermarket siege? Handicapped parking. 

Maricopa Police Department said Michael Shoemaker was jailed after he refused to identify himself, according to a probable cause statement obtained by InMaricopa. 

Cops responded to Bashas’ on North John Wayne Parkway around 2 p.m. after reports two elderly people were “physically fighting.” 

Officers said Shoemaker got into a verbal argument over parking in a handicapped parking spot. 

One of the alleged victims said she was helping the other alleged victim, who was legally blind and hard of hearing. 

Shoemaker allegedly erected a shopping cart blockade behind the woman’s car, preventing her from leaving. 

Cops said Shoemaker refused to identify himself several times. They told Shoemaker he would be arrested if he did not identify himself. He allegedly told officers to take him to jail. 

Shoemaker was booked into the Pinal County jail on two misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and failing to provide a truthful name. 

He faces 10 months in jail. 

Read more public safety stories here. 

Brian Petersheim Jr., Reporter
Brian became part of the InMaricopa team in October 2020, starting as a multimedia intern with a focus on various multimedia tasks. His responsibilities included file organization and capturing photos of events and incidents. After graduating from Maricopa High School in the class of 2021, his internship seamlessly transitioned into a full-fledged job. Initially serving as a dedicated photographer, Brian's role evolved in October 2021 when he took on a new beat as a writer. He is currently pursuing his studies at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Brian's primary focus lies in covering public safety-related stories. In his free time, Brian finds joy in spending quality time with his family and embarking on adventures to explore the landscapes around him.