Woman charges worker at school demo

AUBURN, Ind. (WANE) - Scott Minnich was working to demolish the McIntosh School in Auburn last week when an angry citizen tried to run him over with her car, Minnich told NewsChannel 15. 

When the DeKalb Central school board decided to tear down the 85-year-old building, a lot of people in the community were upset. The building used to be Auburn High School and McIntosh Elementary School. Demolition of the building started last week.

"I graduated from here in 1960," Tom Walter said. "[People in the community] are sad about it being tore down."

Walter, like many others, came to the demolition site Thursday to take pictures of the progress. October 15th, Minnich said Judy Knapp came, but she didn't take pictures.

Minnich told NewsChannel 15 Knapp drove into the parking lot and when he started walking toward her car to tell her she had to leave, she "came at him" twice.

In a police report, Knapp admitted trying to run over the construction worker saying, "They should be run over." The officer asked her why and she replied, "Because they are tearing down the school."

NewsChannel 15 asked Knapp for comment Thursday, but she had none. In an October 4th interview at an open house before demolition started Knapp said, " I just can't see it tore down. ... The houses they'll put here don't belong in this community." 

While several people understand Knapp's passion, they don't agree with her actions.

"I feel like I'm on her side, but it's not going to change anything. And the people taking down the building are just doing the job they're hired for. It's not their fault," Walter said.

Will Rennecker also came by the school to see the demo progress.

"You can get emotional about an old school when you went there for years," Rennecker said. "[Driving at a worker] is crossing a line. That's harming people's lives. You ought to protest in a peaceful manner."

In the police documents, the officer said Knapp didn't seem to care that she could have charges filed against her. The officer gave her a tresspassign warning. She could be arrested if she goes on the school property again. Click here to see the police report.

Minnich said in the 30 years he's worked construction jobs, he's almost been hit by cars about a dozen times. He was not hurt last Thursday and wasn't too rattled by Knapp. He and Martin Inc. don't plan to file charges.