Man Smashes Liquor, Wine Bottles

The Columbus Dispatch ^ | December 18, 2001 | Matthew Marx

[buccaneer81]

Man smashes liquor, wine bottles

Tuesday, December 18, 2001

Matthew Marx

Dispatch Staff Reporter

A Northwest Side man wielding a golf club smashed thousands of dollars worth of wine and liquor at the Big Bear store at West 5th and Grandview avenues last night.

Asad K. Thahim, 24, of 1450 King Ave. Apt. 35, is accused of creating a panic at the store when he pushed the manager to the floor and began slashing glass bottles.

Thahim walked up to the service counter and said it was against his religion for wine to be consumed and that he was going to smash every bottle in the place, witnesses told Columbus police.

Thahim also took a swing at Andrew Raymond, second-shift store manager, who called police.

Raymond refused to comment last night.

Columbus police charged Thahim with one felony count each of vandalism and inducing panic and one misdemeanor count of assault.

More than $50,000 worth of wine and liquor was destroyed, police estimated.

Thahim was in Franklin County jail early this morning.

He will appear in Franklin County Municipal Court today on those charges and some outstanding warrants from separate criminal and traffic offenses. In one of those cases, he is charged with smashing one 40-ounce bottle of beer on the floor of the Speedway gas station at 1626 W. 5th Ave. on Nov. 30.

[riley1992]

And thirsty even.

[butter pecan fan]

I still have half a bottle of the real Absinthe, if anyone wants to get really, really weird..

Uh... no, thanks.

[ArrogantBustard]

Absinthe

No, thanks. But I'm going to have rescue several bottles of Shiraz and Cabernet from the wine store. For its own protection, you know.

[uglybiker]

Man Smashes Liquor, Wine Bottles

A classic case of Alcohol Abuse!!

Put him away until he straightens out!

[Doctor Doom]

This is the second tragedy of the day.

First someone left my breakfast uncorked.

Now this.

Is there any point in going on?

[uglybiker]

Nah. I think I'll just go home and comfort a bottle of grappa.

[Orual]

Thahim walked up to the service counter and said it was against his religion for wine to be consumed and that he was going to smash every bottle in the place, witnesses told Columbus police.

Anti-wineist, anti-vodkaist - it's religious intolerance of the worst possible sort.

[cibco]

"Now I know how cat lovers feel when we joke on threads about cat tragedy."

Ya... but at least (Burp!) we can keep it in a (belch!) perspective manner(slurp). Ahhhhh...

[muir_redwoods]

Maybe there is some advantage to teaching tolerance in the high schools. On the other hand maybe a liquor store owner should have a 9mm handy so as to give a quick course in tolerance.

"Against his religion to drink wine? Anything in the Koran about theft or destruction of property?

[muir_redwoods]

LOL! "December 17th fund.." Priceless

[muir_redwoods]

How about "Spiritual depravity"

[grumpster-dumpster]

Muslem? Hmmm...what you want to bet he didn't touch the "Johnny Walker?"

[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

A better title for this would have been:

"Carrie Nation Reincarnated as Male Muslim"

I guess they should be glad the guy didn't want his 70 virgins enough to visit them with a dynamite stick vest and blow the whole place to hell.

[ibbryn]

it was against his religion for wine to be consumed

Don't some churches use wine in their services? The media obviously thinks we are too stupid to realize that this was an organized attack against our religion! First they'll smash the wine bottles, next you'll see the destruction of Bingo parlors and harassment of those two guys in ties riding around on their bikes. Religion of Peace, indeed!

[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

Maybe there is some advantage to teaching tolerance in the high schools. On the other hand maybe a liquor store owner should have a 9mm handy so as to give a quick course in tolerance.

"Against his religion to drink wine? Anything in the Koran about theft or destruction of property?

Actually, there is, but it gives Allah's blessing for killing the infidels and looting their property, so not helpful for protecting liquor store owners and clerks, or anyone else who "offends" one of the faithful. Actually, this guy was fairly gentle - - might even call him a "moderate" as such things go.

[jjbrouwer]

As usual the Yanks misinterpret a good deed. This guy was actually trying to help society.

He even put something in the kitty:

[exmoor]

Man Smashes Liquor, Wine Bottles...it wouldn't have been in a drunken rage , would it ?

[FormerLib]

Taps should be blown, followed by a 21 gun salute.

Sorry, can't play a musical instrument to save my life so taps is out. And the last time I did one of those gun salutes, the cops ended up driving around my neighborhood for hours.

I'm just gonna pop open a 12-year old single and have a drink smiling, "You didn't get this one, loser!"