Man who refused to leave store’s restroom had crawled into ceiling, NC deputies say

A man who spent an awkwardly long time locked in a convenience store restroom in North Carolina had actually climbed into the ceiling and was refusing to leave, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

It happened around 2:30 a.m. Monday at the Denver Mart on Highway 16 in Denver, officials said in a news release. Denver is about 25 miles northwest of uptown Charlotte.

Investigators believe Zakari David Glode, 34, orchestrated the odd move to avoid being arrested on an outstanding warrant.

Lincoln County deputies were actively searching for him at the time, officials said in the release.

“Deputies received information ... Glode was driving a black 2013 Toyota Camry when they observed the vehicle in the parking lot of the Denver Mart,” officials said.

“The officers went inside the store and discovered the man had gone into the restroom. After about 20 minutes, deputies made contact with the man who stated he was having issues and would not come out.”

Glode, who lives in Lincolnton, eventually stopped responding to questions, leading to concerns for his welfare, officials said.

Deputies used a master key to unlock the door and discovered the restroom was empty.

“Officers then observed where a ceiling tile had been damaged and ordered the suspect to respond or come down from the ceiling. Several ceiling tiles were removed, but the man remained in the ceiling area,” officials said.

The department didn’t say how long it took to coax Glode down, but he is now facing charges of “resisting a public officer, injury to real property, and second degree trespassing.”

This story was originally published September 14, 2021 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Man who refused to leave store’s restroom had crawled into ceiling, NC deputies say."