Police arrested a Coldwater woman around midnight on Sunday, Nov. 29 for an episode at Hillsdale City Hall.
At 12:20 a.m. on Nov. 29, Naomi Ashley Bahe, 28, was arrested by Hillsdale Police after they claimed she committed malicious destruction of police property, disorderly conduct, and resisting or obstructing a police officer twice, according to a police report.
Her incident at City Hall was not the first of the night. The police had two other contacts with her in the span of 40 minutes, including one at Hillsdale Hospital, Police and Fire Chief Scott Hephner said.
Because two of the offenses are considered warrantless felonies, there was no bond. Her warrant was issued Monday, Nov. 30, according to Hephner.
Her actions were reported to police by Mayor Adam Stockford, who said he was driving through downtown Hillsdale when he noticed a young lady in front of City Hall.
“She was swinging around and acting erratic,” Stockford said. “I thought it was a drunken college kid out there dancing in front of City Hall.”
At first glance, Stockford said he only giggled. But as he got closer, he said he started to hear clunking and thumping noises.
“I pulled into the parking lot in between the post office and City Hall,” Stockford said. “At that point, I could see that she was hurling rocks at the police cars and hitting them.”
Stockford said he then told her to stop, but she continued to throw rocks, including some in his direction.
Stockford then called 911 about the issue. Police were currently out on a call, he said.
She then started walking down West Carleton Road toward P.S. Food Mart, Stockford said.
“She was obviously trying to get caught,” he said. “She went straight down the road along the centerline.”
By the time she got to the Citgo gas station, however, police had arrived, and Stockford said he handed the situation over to them.
Hephner said she did not cooperate in the arrest.
“When they approached her, that did not go well,” Hephner said. “That was the third time they dealt with her that night, and none of them went well. They ended up taking her into custody.”
Bahe was lodged at the county jail behind Market House, according to Hephner.
Hephner said no damage was found to City Hall, but three of the police cars sustained minor damage.
“We added up three patrol cars with damaged glass,” Hephner said. “Not shattered glass, but scratched or abrased glass, so apparently they are putting new glass in them.”
Hephner said at least one car’s windshield will need to be replaced.
“If she was left to her own devices down there for five or ten more minutes, she probably would have caused a lot more damage,” Stockford said.
Stockford said the fact that she was from out of town was a silver lining in the story.
“I was relieved to see that she wasn’t a Hillsdale resident,” Stockford said. “I’d like to think our citizens have more respect than that.”