Arrested for mowing the Lawn???

Posted by bakerboy on Nov 30, 2009 | Comments Off

WJW Fox 8 – Sandyusky, OH:  John Hamilton of Sandusky says he was inspired by news reports of the Toledo mayor cutting grass around that city on his day off. As John rode around his own home town he tells FOX 8 News he couldn’t help but notice tall grass around vacant homes and in the city’s Parks, and with spare time of his own felt he could do something positive.

On Thursday morning it bothered him seeing children waiting for a school bus at Central park, where the grass was more than a foot high. So he went to a shop he shares with his brother, got his riding mower and set out to make the park look better. “We have some really beautiful parks here in Sandusky” he told Fox 8 “I was only trying to save the city some money.”

As he started cutting the grass, however, Hamilton says a city worker who saw him there went over to ask him to stop. He says the employee showed him a list of places they were preparing to cut the grass themselves. “I told them to go ahead and do the others and I’ll do this one”.

Moments later police showed up.

Hamilton admits police asked him to stop, but he told them how frustrated he was with the way the parks look and that he wanted to continue. “They said they empathize with my concerns” but as John continued to cut the grass against their wishes he officers contacted their superior officer, who told them to issue one more warning and then if John continued to arrest him for persistent disorderly conduct and obstructing official business.

The Hamilton refused, and was arrested, taken away in handcuffs. A police report obtained by Fox 8 shows one of the officers measured the grass, which was in fact more than a foot high. City crews finished cutting the grass there later on Thursday.

Police say he was asked to stop, not because Hamilton was mowing the lawn, but because there was a liability involved. The acting police chief tells Fox 8 News that the park was littered with trash and Hamilton was mowing over all of it. City Manager Mat Kline says there were bottles and other debris that were being thrown by his mower into the street. Kline also says there are employee issues with unions that are supposed to cut the grass that had to be considered.

The City Manager says he encourages citizens to volunteer in the community, and in fact there is a program that allows residents to adopt a part and take care of it, but you have to properly register. Kline admits the city, like many others, has some budgetary issues it has to deal with. “We have over 600 acres of grounds to maintain” he told Fox 8 News “and often we have only three people to take care of it. We knew grass was going to be an issue months ago” he says, adding the city asked everyone to be patient with them as they try to catch up in the spring.

Hamilton was arraigned in municipal court early Friday. He says he has no regrets, and hopes the attention to his arrest will inspire others to get involved in doing something for the city. “The only thing I’m worried about is…how am I going to tell my wife”.

#####

Popularity: 1% [?]