MARTA police report contradicts local journalist's claim he was attacked
An incident report provided by MARTA contradicts claims made last Friday by longtime Atlanta broadcaster Maynard Eaton concerning an alleged attempted robbery at the Peachtree Center station.
Eaton had told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he tumbled down an escalator after a group of young men tried to steal his laptop. The AJC included Eaton’s account as part of a story on MARTA safety. On Tuesday, a man identifying himself as Eaton left a voicemail with the newspaper saying, “I made some comments about MARTA … that I’d like to retract. I simply fell and hurt my own self.”
Eaton has not responded to repeated e-mails and phone calls seeking additional comment.
According to an incident report, Eaton told the officer he “missed a step” on the escalator, causing him to fall. The officer wrote that Eaton was intoxicated.
The host of “Newsmakers Live!” initially told the AJC he did not speak with police following the attack.
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
