By MARK TODD - Staff Writer - mtodd@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon
December 11, 2007 08:13 pm
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CONNEAUT — A Pennsylvania man has a January date in Conneaut Municipal Court after he ignored repeated warnings from police to steer clear of St. Mary’s Church in Conneaut.
Reginald Minor, 49, 13737 W. Lake Road, West Springfield, faces two counts of trespassing, according to a court spokeswoman. He will have a pre-trial hearing on Jan. 14.
Minor, who was arrested Monday morning, also may undergo some medical evaluations, the spokeswoman said.
Police were called to the church twice over the weekend — Friday and Saturday nights — to tell Minor to follow rules or avoid church property. Each time Minor told officers he would continue to attend the church at the risk of arrest.
Church leaders said Minor’s actions, such as taking communion when not church member, made other parishioners uncomfortable. Church officials told police they talked to Minor several times in the past about his conduct, and gently informed he simply needed to follow a few procedures. Eventually, church members sent Minor a letter telling him to stay away, police said.
Minor, told by police on Saturday he risks arrest by showing up on church property, replied “Well, I guess I’ll be going to jail, be handcuffed and have a trial,” officers said.
Police returned to St. Mary’s Church around 7:38 a.m. Monday to find Minor and the Rev. Raymond Thomas on the front sidewalk. Minor acknowledged he had ignored repeated warnings to avoid the church.
He was arrested on a trespassing charge and taken to jail, police said.
Minor, reached at home Tuesday, had no comment.
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