Here is the story…
An Ohio man arrested for mowing unkempt grass at a public park said he just wanted to make his city look nice. John Hamilton said he took control of the situation because the grass in Sandusky’s Central Park was about a foot high. According to a police report, a witness said Hamilton was blowing grass onto the sidewalk and shredding trash in the park that had not been picked up.
Police said they arrested 48-year-old Hamilton after he refused to stop mowing and charged him with obstructing official business and disorderly conduct.
City Manager Matt Kline called the arrest unfortunate and said he understands Hamilton’s frustration. Kline said budget cuts have left Sandusky understaffed for seasonal maintenance work.
So, let me get this straight? The city can’t afford to pay someone to mow the grass in a city park and it really needs done… but when someone comes along and attempts to help out, he gets arrested for his good deed? Sandusky, you got some ’splainin’ to do!!!
I’m a close personal friend of John’s. The man is as mild mannered as they come. He’ll stand up for what needs standing up for but he’s not the type to make anyone nervous.
The idea that someone would take someone into custody over an issue like mowing a lawn makes me ill. It’s a good thing that I wasn’t there to witness it or I might have been locked up for life for doing what I think would have been right. Wrongly imprisoning someone, even for a short time, especially when it is for doing the obviously right thing, is ten steps below acceptable, not just on the line.
People in our country allow our servants too much poor discretion. It’s about time that people realize who works for who. Just think about it this way: which one of ANY of you out there would have arrested a man for mowing a lawn? I’d bet that there isn’t a single person other then some freak that doesn’t work and has nothing better to do then surf the internet 24/7 would ever say they would. — Now ask, do you feel comfortable knowing that a “trained” law enforcement officer that is REQUIRED to know the law, and be of stable mind, and is armed, thought it was alright to incarcerate a man for mowing a lawn?
The cop shop that allowed that should be shut down. The city should fire them all and get some boy scouts or grannies in there to do the job. I’m sure that they would do a better job and respect people’s right a little bit better even if drunk and wearing a blindfold.
John. you need to move back to the south. We’ve got some sideways cops down here but I don’t think any one of them could ever be that stupid. It doesn’t snow down here either!
Yup rather than a Good Samaritan Award the poor man gets a citation. I do not understand what this world is coming to.