Pennsylvania state police drop off disabled homeless man in Ashtabula
Feb. 25—ASHTABULA — City officials say they are fuming after a Pennsylvania State Police officer dropped off a homeless man in Ashtabula and drove away.
Douglas Kriner, 52, of Erie, Pa., who has cerebral palsy, was wearing only a coat, a hat and a thin pair of hospital pants when the trooper left him outside the Samaritan House, Police Chief Robert Stell said.
"He's barely able to walk with a walker," Stell said. "We took him to the ER to get checked out. He was there a few hours and then he was found walking on Lake Avenue in those thin hospital pants in 27-degree weather."
The Samaritan House could not take him in because they are filled with local homeless people and they don't have handicapped accessibility, Stell said.
Ashtabula police took Kriner to the Justice Center, where they fed him and talked to him about his situation. Kriner sat in the warm lobby until police made arrangements for his safe return to Erie.
"He said he believes police just wanted to get him out of Erie," Stell said.
City Manager Jim Timonere said he was "livid" over the situation.
Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Timothy McConnell said they are familiar with Kriner.
"He told us he's living in Ohio now and wants to go to Ashtabula," he said. "Our guys took him to the Samaritan House and left because our officer had to get back [to Pennsylvania]."
Stell also called the State Police to ask why they would bring someone from Pennsylvania and dump them out of state in Ashtabula.
"They said he wanted to go to Ohio but Mr. Kriner said he never said that," Stell said. "This guy has no connection to Ashtabula. He has a caretaker person, all his checks, all his services, everything is in Erie. He didn't even have his ID on him."
Stell asked the state police if they would come back and get Kriner.
"They told me they're not a taxi service,'" Stell said. "I told them if your policy is no taxi service, that goes both ways. We don't dump people in Pennsylvania!"
After securing Kriner a safe place to stay at a homeless shelter in Erie, an Ashtabula police officer drove Kriner back to Erie around 5:15 p.m. Friday.
Stell summed it up by saying, "They stuck it to us. It was poorly handled and inappropriate and they won't make it right."
McConnell said Kriner requested a ride to Ashtabula and they thought they were doing him a favor. When McConnell was told Kriner denied ever saying that, McConnell said, "I guess it depends on who you believe."
City Council President John Roskovics said it was an "outrageously sad" situation.
"It makes no sense and sends a horrible message about the worth and dignity of every person," he said. "I'm saddened."
