Man charged with threatening Athens-Clarke police officer at red light

Wayne Ford
Oscar Zarco

An Athens man went on a verbal tirade Monday against an Athens-Clarke police officer after authorities said she stopped for a red light and he pulled alongside her vehicle.

The incident occurred about 9:20 p.m. at the intersection of Atlanta Highway and Jennings Mill Parkway, when the officer had stopped for the light and saw a man in a Honda Accord next to her yelling and making hand gestures, according to the report.

She rolled down her window and reported she heard Oscar Israel Zarco making vulgar comments, calling police “pigs” and saying his people were going to “shoot us up” and “hang our pink pig skins.”

The man continued his tirade laced with profanity and threats, according to the officer.

When the light turned green, Zarco would not proceed telling the officer “you go first” and “I’ll shoot you from back here.”

The officer reported she proceeded at about 20 mph, but she was able to maneuver behind his vehicle, at which point he turned into the parking lot of Barnes & Noble and stopped.

Zarco immediately exited his car and approached the officer, who got out of her unit and ordered him to stop and show his hands, according to the report.

Zarco complied with her orders and was arrested on a charge of making terroristic threats, a felony. He was not carrying a weapon, police said.

Upon researching the suspect, the officer found that Zarco was flagged as a gang member and had a reputation of carrying weapons and becoming disorderly with law enforcement.

Zarco, 30, of Commerce Road, was released from jail Tuesday on a $3,500 bond.