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Grand jury to review charge in shooting
Family members of the victims want the shooter convicted and imprisoned.
WARREN — The case against a Warren Township man accused of shooting a teenage boy over a political sign will be going before a Trumbull County grand jury.
As millions of Americans flocked to the polls to vote, Kenneth Rowles, 50, of Dover Street, appeared in Warren Municipal Court Tuesday afternoon for a preliminary hearing on a felonious-assault charge stemming from his defense of a John McCain political sign in his front yard.
Rowles, who is disabled and uses a cane, was helped to the stand by his attorney, Phillip Arbie, before waiving his right to a preliminary hearing.
Judge Thomas Gysegem ordered the case bond over to a grand jury, but no date has been set. A $10,000 bond previously imposed on Rowles was continued by the court.
According to police, Rowles fired several shots into an SUV Oct. 25, striking a teenage boy in the arm. The episode reportedly took place as the boys — Kyree Flowers, 17, of Dover Street, and Patrick A. Wise Jr., 16, of Commerce Avenue in Warren — were about to vandalize the McCain political sign.
Flowers received a minor injury from one of the bullets and was treated at a local hospital
Rowles would make no statement to the media, but his attorney said Rowles has had other “harassing occasions” on his property and was afraid of the two teens on that day.
According to Arbie, Rowles has said comments such as “stump him, stump him” and a reference to Barack Obama were made by the boys — heightening his fear. He said Rowles decided to fire a warning shot but did not intend to shoot anyone.
“This was certainly accidental and there are no political overtones. It was basically a warning shot and by luck of the draw this young man was hit,” said Arbie. “He is not a felon. There were no political overtones or anything hateful or intentional in this whole situation.”
Arbie said he is confident that Rowles will be vindicated, either by the grand jury or at trial.
Family members of Flowers and Wise also attended the hearing. Vindication for Rowles is the last thing they want to hear.
Quinn Flowers, father of Kyree Flowers, did not want to comment on the specifics of the situation but did say the family wants to see Rowles convicted and imprisoned. He said the family is most grateful that the teens did not suffer more serious injuries.
“We are just happy that things are not worse. This could have been much worse. We could have had two boys dead,” he said.
jgoodwin@vindy.com