WAYNESVILLE, Ohio (AP) – An Ohio landlord is
accused of whipping a tenant with a belt on his bare buttocks for falling
behind on his rent.
Ron Kronenberger, 53, was charged with assault for the Jan. 22 encounter in
his office, police in the village
of Waynesville said. He
was due in court Thursday in Warren
County.
Police said the tenant, 29, was late with a $2,800 rent payment.
"If you're going to act like a child, I'm going to treat you like
one," Kronenberger was quoted in the police report as telling the tenant
before striking him four times with a belt. The report said the belt left
"little marks."
Waynesville Police Chief Gary Copeland talked to the accuser, who reportedly
told him he submitted to the whipping because "he was scared and just
wanted to get it over with," according to the police report.
The Dayton
Daily News reported that Kronenberger is a former chamber of commerce
president who was Waynesville's "Citizen of the Year" for 2006. His
home phone wasn't accepting messages Thursday.
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