“Street Dad” James Baker confesses love to woman, sexually threatens her with baton

60-year-old James Baker sexually threatened Katherina Wrather with a baton at his East Old Hickory Boulevard apartment on July 8th. Wrather told responding officers she was hanging out with her friend, Lucas McClain, and his “street dad,” Baker, who looks after him. Then, she stated they went out to get a dog that one of their friends found with Wrather’s girlfriend, Jenna Brown. They all went to a WeGo station for a bus they were taking when Baker decided he did not want to hang out with Brown anymore since he thought she was annoying. After this, Baker, McClain, and Wrather got onto the bus and went to Baker’s apartment. Wrather slept in the room nearest the door and woke up to Baker lying next to her, confessing his love to her.  Wrather said Baker told her how happy she made him, but she did not share the same interest because he was too old. Then, when she tried to leave, Baker stated she could not go because she did not have a bus pass anymore since she lost it and that he would be her transportation going further. Wrather said that she texted Brown and had her come up with a story about one of her family members being in the hospital so she could leave. Baker told her she could go but that he would be coming with her and that they’d leave on his time, not hers. Then, Wrather said Baker pulled out a small baton, tapped her leg lightly, and threatened to use it as a whip for punishment, putting her in fear of bodily harm. Officers spoke with McClain, who corroborated Wrather’s statements, adding that he was “just there so nothing got too intense.” After this, the police observed messages between Brown and Wrather about Baker’s past actions of undressing women in their sleep and how Brown saw Baker cornering her to separate her from Wrather. Baker was then taken into custody for kidnapping.

Lucas McClain strangles boyfriend underneath bridge on 8th Avenue

32-year-old Lucas McClain had an altercation with his boyfriend, Matthew Lee Harber, underneath the bridge on 8th Avenue South in the early hours of May 10th. Officers observed Harber in a prone position on the sidewalk outside Party Fowl without a shirt or shoes. Officers noticed Harber also had visible injuries on his neck, left shoulder, and elbow. Harber then stated that he and McClain argued over not having any cigarettes. During the argument, he said McClain “Raised his hand up like he was going to hit me, so I punched him three times on the head.” Then Harber said he was “taken to the ground by McClain, and he had his arms around my neck.” Harber added that McClain had physically abused him on several past occasions. When officers spoke with McClain, he stated that they had argued verbally, and when Harber started to walk away, he grabbed him. Harber then told them that he did not lose consciousness when McClain strangled him but threw all his stuff away and ran from him. Deputies located a couple also staying underneath the bridge, one of which was Renee Killburn, a witness. Killburn told officers that she had seen McClain “physically assaulting” Harber. McClain was taken into custody for aggravated assault.