# Where Not To Have Donuts



## Inspector (Nov 13, 2006)

Doughnuts not the only thing on the menu
By CHRISTOPHER SCOTT, Sun Staff
Lowell Sun

LOWELL -- Eat-A-Donut has long been known for its tasty marshmallow-filled doughnuts.

But police and city inspectors discovered some less appetizing stuff inside the popular Lower Highlands doughnut shop the other night that prompted Health Director Frank Singleton to close the business until Jan. 24 at the earliest.

Police reportedly found:

* More than a dozen hypodermic needles and syringes scattered on the floor and tables.

* Three drops of wet blood on a table where customers usually eat. "It looks like that's where they were shooting up (drugs)," Acting Building Commissioner David St. Hilaire said.

* In a device normally used in the doughnut-making process, an electric hot plate, on top of which was a pan that was being used to melt what appeared to be cocaine, St. Hilaire said.

* A man wearing only pants, who was later arrested.

* A 23-year-old woman who was nude. She was not charged. (Another man, this one fully clothed, was also in the shop; he was not charged.)

What they were doing inside the shop wasn't immediately clear, Taylor said.

"It certainly wasn't nice," said St. Hilaire.

Police arrested Anthony Vega, 43, of 159 Valley St., Pembroke. He was charged with possession of cocaine.

The business, at the busy corner of School and Liberty streets, will remain closed at least until the next Board of Health meeting, scheduled for Jan. 24.

Eat-A-Donut owner Jim Wendell, of 18 Meredith Road, Salem, N.H., has been asked to attend, Singleton said.

"Obviously, the business wasn't operating within the compliance of the law," Singleton said. "It will not be allowed to reopen until we hear from Mr. Wendell."

No one answered a knock on Eat-A-Donut's door yesterday afternoon. In addition to a closure notice from the city's Board of Health, a "CLOSED" sign hung in the window.

When contacted, Wendell said he will attend the meeting but is hopeful he can reopen his business sooner.

"This certainly isn't going to help," the 44-year-old said, adding that he's trying to sell the business and the building.

"It is my personal belief that before that business is allowed to reopen, that it be professionally sanitized," said St. Hilaire, who said he will attend the Board of Health meeting. "It was filthy. It was disgusting."

"It looks like the place was being used as some kind of crash pad," said Singleton.

Wendell said Vega is not his employee.

"He must have broken in," said Wendell, who added that he doesn't know anything about the woman or the other man.

"That's the first I heard about them," he said. "That's just great. I'm just shocked by this whole thing."

Capt. William Taylor said police stepped up patrols around the business after hearing concerns from neighbors about possible illegal activities.

After 10 p.m. last Thursday, police officers Stephen Ciavola and Michael Bergeron said the business was closed. But they became suspicious when they spotted a faint white light coming from inside.

Also, they observed a man inside wearing just pants, who was Vega, Taylor said.

The front door was unlocked, which the officers thought to be odd considering the business was supposed to be closed, Taylor said.

Once inside, the officers observed Vega allegedly trying to flush down the toilet several bags containing what appeared to be cocaine, Taylor said. The officers were able to confiscate some of the cocaine, which Taylor said was a small amount.

Eat-A-Donut, long a Lower Highlands staple, was formerly owned by Sotiros V. "Duke" Schrow. Schrow's life, however, was cut short in 2001, when the 40-year-old was killed in an early-morning automobile crash on Pawtucket Street.

Wendell purchased the business from Schrow's widow.


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## Nachtwächter (Dec 9, 2005)

Inspector said:


> Doughnuts not the only thing on the menu
> By CHRISTOPHER SCOTT, Sun Staff
> Lowell Sun
> 
> ...


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## extremesgs (Aug 24, 2002)

that used to be my motivation to drive to Umass for classes....

"Chocolate cruller and a gram, please"


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## justanotherparatrooper (Aug 27, 2006)

I know I damn sure dont want any of theyre cream filled donuts!


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