MARK TODD
CONNEAUT - - Motorists who made a stop at Conneaut's tourist information center Tuesday apparently saw a sight that's not found in any travel brochure.
Visitors were surprised to see a naked man popping up and down in a field adjoining the busy center along Interstate 90. Many complained to tourist center staff, who in turn contacted police.
Charges of public indecency will probably be filed against a 20-year-old Dorman Road man, Law Director Lori Lamer said Wednesday.
Police were contacted around 1:30 p.m. about a man causing a stir just north of the center, which welcomes westbound traffic arriving in Ohio from Pennsylvania. A truck weigh station also operates at the site.
Officers were told of a man who kept standing up and laying down in the field. An officer who responded saw a man in the distance saw a figure "who appeared to be a male, wearing little or no clothing," according to a police report.
The officer made visual confirmation of the man's undressed state after tromping through brush and swamp to reach the field. As the officer approached, the man - - who was laying down - - "immediately began putting on his clothing," police said.
Asked why he was in the buff, the man said he was "sunbathing" and didn't think he could be observed from the tourist information center.
Many people shed their coats and jackets - - if not their pants and underwear - - on Wednesday, which saw temperatures top 70 degrees. Folks should be a bit more modest today and this weekend, since forecasters say the thermometer will barely break 40 degrees.
