Man Busts Up Head Shop Over Bath Salts Sale

JULY 25--An upstate New York man is facing felony charges after allegedly using a baseball bat to bust up a local head shop that sold bath salts to his son, who was hospitalized after overdosing on the synthetic drug.

Police allege that Daniel Avery, 49, smashed the front door of Tebbs Smokeshop in Watertown, and broke display cases and merchandise inside the shop during yesterday’s 10 AM rampage.

Avery, pictured in the mug shot at right, appeared in court today and had his case adjourned until August 9. He has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal mischief, both felonies, and menacing, a misdemeanor.

Acording to a Watertown Police Department report, when cops arrived at the head shop, Avery told an officer he “smashed up the place.” “He told me they sold bath salts to his son and he was in the hospital,” reported Officer Dennis Lawlee.

Trevor Harding, a Tebbs employee, told police that Avery entered the shop and said, “You sold my kid bath salts.” Harding, 24, added, “He kept spazzing out saying he was going to kill me, he had a good son that never did crack or cocaine.”

Investigators estimated that Avery caused about $640 in damages with a “small blue Yankees bat” that was recovered from his car.

Before showing up at the head shop, Avery left a message on the store’s answering machine saying, “You fucking sold my kid bath salts and I’ll kill you.”

After wrecking the store, Avery actually dialed 911 and summoned cops to the head shop. While waiting for officers to arrive, Harding recalled, Avery--who has a prior felony burglary conviction--warned him, “You better find a new job or quit because I am going to come back and get you.” (4 pages)