Oil City Man Awaits Preliminary Hearing on Felony Charges for Allegedly Damaging Eight Tombstones

| April 28, 2016

Left to right: John and Letha Doyle (inspecting family plots),  William “Less”  Lauer – President – Shaw Farm Cemetery  (inspecting cemetery).  Photo by Greg Knox of Bright Ideas Learning Center & Photography.

Left to right: John and Letha Doyle (inspecting family plots), William “Less” Lauer – President – Shaw Farm Cemetery (inspecting cemetery). Photo by Greg Knox of Bright Ideas Learning Center & Photography.

CORNPLANTER TWP., Pa. (EYT) – An Oil City man is awaiting a preliminary hearing on felony charges after allegedly damaging tombstones at the Shaw Farm Cemetery located on Grandview Road, in Cornplanter Township, Venango County.

According to court documents, Franklin-based State Police filed criminal charges against 66-year-old David Lee Dunkle, Sr., of Oil City.

According to a criminal complaint, on April 24, Officer Johnson, of PSP Franklin, was dispatched to the Shaw Farm Cemetery for a report of an individual damaging tombstones and carrying a large knife.

The complaint states that upon arrival, Trooper Johnson viewed eight tombstones flipped over with an unknown amount of damage.

The witness described the man as skinny with a gray beard, the complaint indicates.

Photo by Greg Knox of Bright Ideas Learning Center & Photography

Photo by Greg Knox of Bright Ideas Learning Center & Photography

Officer Johnson then traveled to the Dunkle’s address at 113 Evergreen Lane, Cornplanter Township, which is located near the cemetery. Dunkle was outside his residence and fit the description by the witness, the complaint continues.

Dunkle allegedly advised Trooper Johnson that “he knew every single one of the people whose tombstones he flipped over.” Dunkle was taken into custody at this point, according to the complaint.

He was arraigned at 2:30 p.m. on April 24 in front of Magisterial District Judge Matthew T. Kirtland and charged with Institutional Vandalism Cemetery, Etc., a third-degree felony.

Unable to post $15,000.00 monetary bail, he was lodged in the Venango County Jail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on May 4 in Venango County Central Court with Judge Kirtland presiding.


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