Thomas Kelly, owner of condemned Volney Road home, charged with trespass

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A man who tried to stop the city from demolishing his house was arraigned in municipal court Friday on a charge of criminal trespass.

Thomas T. Kelly was charged after he returned to his house at 2278 Volney Road about 7 p.m. Thursday, against court orders that he be escorted to the property by firefighters, reports state.

Police said an officer saw a truck in the driveway Thursday and called for Kelly to come outside and that Kelly stuck his head out of the upstairs window and begin yelling and throwing glass and other objects out of the house.

Officers tried to go into the house to get Kelly, but “the house was so full of garbage and junk that it was too dangerous for officers to enter,” according to reports. About 20 minutes later, Kelly came out of the side door and was taken to Mahoning County jail, police said.

The house had been condemned earlier this month, and Kelly had filed for an injunction against demolition, which was denied by a Mahoning County Common Pleas court magistrate this week. Kelly will be back in municipal court May 22.

Kelly is the listed owner of two other Youngstown homes, 249 Redondo Road and 238 Fairgreen Ave.