False Police Report Complaint Leads To Charge

Fredericksburg Police charged a Richmond man with public intoxication and making a false police report this morning.

Natatia Bledsoe, department spokeswoman, said that James Zits, 38, had originally told police that he was robbed at knifepoint at about 2 a.m. by a man he met at the corner of George and Princess Anne streets. Police officers located the man that matched the description Zits gave in the 800 block of Caroline Street and questioned him.

"He provided an entirely different version of the encounter," Bledsoe said. The man, who is homeless, told police that he met Zits outside of Spirits Bar and that Zits offered him cash in exchange for buying him beer. To ensure the man wouldn't walk away with the money he gave Zits his Micah ID card until the deal was completed. But the man was not able to purchase alcohol after midnight so he returned to Spirits but Zits was gone. Police did find the ID of the homeless man in Zits' pocket.

Zits, 38, was in jail on a $1,000 bond.