Local environmental activist Chad Kister was arrested Sunday on burglary charges after allegedly forcibly entering a tenant’s residence.
Around 1:30 p.m., Kister allegedly entered the residence at a hostel, which he operated, on Bessemer Road in Buchtel, according to Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly.
“He went down to tell his tenant that she needed to move out,” he said. “The tenant was six-months pregnant and wanted to press charges after Mr. Kister pushed her down.”
The woman and her unborn child were not harmed, Kelly said.
The tenant pays month-by-month, but it’s unknown why Kister allegedly wanted to evict her, Kelly said.
Although the tenant has not pressed charges as of press time, Kelly said he expects a grand jury to deliberate the charges in about two weeks.
Sunday’s arrest is the latest of Kister’s clashes with the law, including an arrest in 2010, after which he filed a lawsuit against Kelly, among others, for allegedly violating his First and Fourth Amendment rights.
“He’s talked about a lawsuit, but I really don’t think he’s ever filed one,” Kelly said. “I’ve not been formally notified about any lawsuits by him against me or my office.”
Kister said Kelly arrested him without “good reason” and took him to Appalachian Behavior Healthcare, where Kister said he was detained for 23 days against his will.
Last summer, Kister was arrested and charged with aggravated menacing after allegedly threatening Kelly’s life. The June charge was dismissed, according to Athens County Municipal Court documents.
Kister was taken to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail after Sunday’s arrest.
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