The town has installed surveillance cameras in Doko Meadows Park after several incidents of vandalism and the arrest of a Blythewood man for second degree harassment of female joggers in the park.
James Keegan, 40, was arrested Sept. 9, 2016 after several people reported that he was intimidating female joggers in the park. Keegan will have his day in court sometime this month after electing to have a jury hear his case.
According to the incident report, Richland County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the park around 6:15 a.m. on Sept. 9, after three female victims complained of a suspicious grey or blue Chevy pick-up truck with a Braves license plate, following them around as they jogged around the park.
As police were on their way to the scene, they witnessed Keegan’s vehicle make a left turn out of the park, then park his car on McNulty road. The officer confronted Keegan who, according to the incident report, began giving conflicting statements, but did indicate he had gone to the park recently.
The incident report stated that Keegan was arrested, “due to the pattern of intentional, substantial and unreasonable intrusion into the daily routines of victims that served no legitimate purpose.”
Allegedly the same vehicle had been described in other reported harassments for up to three months prior to Keegan’s arrest.
Cecil Mosely, Director of Public Works for the Town, told the voice that there have been a number of incidents of vandalism in the park the last couple of years and the Town Council recently authorized the installation of cameras throughout the park.
“The cameras, themselves, have proven to be fairly vandal-resistant after teenagers tried to destroy one. The kids were actually identified on the camera they tried to destroy,” Events and Conference Director Steve Hasterock said. “We have cameras throughout the park as well around Doko Manor.”
“We are serious about protecting the park from problems,” Major Michael J. Ross said, “and when we catch perpetrators, we prosecute.”
