Oxford Crime Log: Two boys, 8, caught vandalizing Mt. Olivet Cemetery; too young to be charged

BY MOLLY NICHOLAS

Miami University journalism student

Two 8-year-old boys were seen damaging gravestones in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery at 100 W. Withrow St. on Sept. 8, according to Oxford police records.

Officers responded to a report of young boys breaking gravestones and found the boys at a nearby house, where they talked to the parents, according to the police report.

“At first, they tried to say it was an accident, but a witness said one of the kids pulled one down and the other kid kicked one down, but they were playing in the cemetery,” Sgt. Jon Varley said.

Under Ohio law, the children are too young to be charged with a crime. The parents said they would pay for damages caused by the juveniles, according to the incident report.

“Under a certain age, they’re deemed to not have a culpable mental state,” Varley said. “Basically, the parents become civilly liable for any damages or anything that the kids may do.”

Woman found intoxicated and asleep in her car

A 24-year-old Indiana woman was ticketed after police said they found her passed out in her car in Oxford on Sept. 10.

April Broughton, who police said was found asleep in the driver's seat of her car at 24 E. Park Place, was charged with physical control of a vehicle while under the influence. Her case is pending in Butler County Area Court I.

“Usually any time people passing by see someone slumped over in a car, then we usually get called,” Varley said. “Just because you can’t tell if it’s a medical emergency or if they’re just sleeping off being intoxicated.”

Oxford police responded and found a woman passed out behind the wheel of her car. The officer tried to wake her by yelling, knocking on the window, and tapping on the window. After this didn’t work, the responding officer had to unlock the car to wake her, according to the police report.

Varley said the situation is not uncommon.

“We have people so intoxicated that they’re basically lost, and they just kind of give up searching where they originally wanted to go and just turn the car off and decide to sleep,” he said.

The driver was found holding her keys and sleeping in the driver’s seat. Officers said they smelled alcohol and said she struggled to stay balanced, according to the police report.

Broughton’s blood-alcohol level was 0.1, which is above the legal limit of 0.08, the police report said.

Woman wakes up to stolen TV and open side door

Oxford resident Monica Venzue, 20, woke up to find her television had been stolen and her side door was open at her address on 104 Linnwood Lane, according to a police report.

Venzue reported the missing television to the Oxford Police Department on Sept. 4.

Varley says burglaries like this are not uncommon when students come back to school, especially if they’re leaving the doors unlocked for their roommates.

“Unfortunately, somebody else may find the door unlocked and they’ll go in,” Varley said. “Especially if they can see, in this case, the TV sitting there. It’s easy to get in and get to and get back out.”

Varley advises residents to lock their doors and close window blinds when they leave their homes.

“I know they feel that not much happens in Oxford, but things do happen here,” he said. “We like that everyone feels safe enough they can leave their doors unlocked, but unfortunately its not always a good idea.”

Window broken overnight

Michael Duffy, 20, woke up to the sound of shattering glass in his home on West Collins Street Sept. 7.

Duffy and his roommates told Oxford police they found a bathroom window shattered, according to the police report.

No one entered the home, according to the incident report, so Varley believes this might be the result of intoxication.

“We’ll have cases where people are intoxicated walking around, walking back from the bars,” Varley said. “Someone will pick up a rock and throw it through a window, just for no particular reason other than probably being intoxicated.”