Gun-toting woman faces charges

The gun appeared to be inoperable, a police officer said.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A woman who brought a slingshot and a handgun to municipal court has been taken to a local hospital for a mental evaluation.
Police officials said they expect Christine Garrett, 39, of Roberts Avenue N.W., who was arrested Monday on charges of criminal damaging and disorderly conduct, to be in the hospital for about two days.
Court officials said Garrett will be arraigned after her release.
Police said she is facing the criminal damaging charge because she was taking pieces of tile off of the floor in the holding cell.
Alarm sounds
"As soon as she walked through the metal detectors the alarm sounded," police Patrol Officer David Gallagher said. "I looked through her purse and I saw the slingshot. I thought that was a little odd."
Gallagher said he searched a fanny pack the woman carried on her waist and he found a handgun.
"The gun appeared to be inoperable but at that point I asked her to face the wall and put her hands on the wall so that I could pat her down for other weapons," Gallagher said.
He noted that he found a piece of metal pipe in the waistband of her pants.
"All she said was that she was at the court because she wanted to talk to Judge [Tom] Gysegem," Gallagher said.
Garrett was arrested last month on charges of criminal damaging, criminal trespassing and possession of drug paraphernalia. She pleaded innocent and was scheduled for trial on those charges Oct. 10. Her case was assigned to Judge Terry Ivanchak.
Police also said that Garrett left a duffel bag outside the building.
sinkovich@vindy.com