Oregon board president arraigned

Judge says not to contact alleged shouting victim

P.J. Kapfhammer, right, president of the Oregon City Schools Board of Education, leaves Oregon Municipal Court with attorneys Jon Richardson, left, and Scott Schwab after his arraignment Monday.

Oregon City Schools board president P.J. Kapfhammer must refrain from contact with an autistic man, whom he allegedly yelled at and threatened to harm, as a condition of his bond.

Mr. Kapfhammer was arraigned Monday in Oregon Municipal Court on one count of menacing, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, and a count of disorderly conduct, a minor misdemeanor.

The charges stem from a Feb. 1 incident at Clay High School in which he allegedly shouted profanities and threatened Thomas Blachowski, 25, of Oregon, when Mr. Blachowski was working out in an exercise room with the school baseball team, Mr. Blachowski’s mother, Terrie Blachowski, told police. Mr. Blachowski is an honorary manager of the team.

Mr. Kapfhammer has said the incident was a misunderstanding prompted when Mr. Blachowski didn’t reply to questions about who he was, and that he was concerned about athletes’ safety.

On Monday, Mr. Kapfhammer was released on his own recognizance. As a condition of his bond, Maumee Municipal Court Judge Gary Byers told him he must refrain from contact with Mr. Blachowski and the man’s mother and sister, as well as participate in anger counseling during the case’s pretrial portion.

Mr. Kapfhammer quickly exited the courtroom after his arraignment. Toledo attorneys Scott Schwab and Jon Richardson declined comment on his behalf.

Judge Byers presided over Monday’s proceedings via video conference. He said Oregon Judge Jeffery Keller recused himself “because of a conflict.”

A March 21 pretrial and temporary protection order hearing is scheduled to take place in Maumee.

Attorney Brian Ballenger of Northwood was appointed special prosecutor, because he said Mr. Kapfhammer and Oregon’s prosecutor, Thomas Dugan, are involved in an unrelated legal case.