Jonathan White : “Plymouth Man Undergoes Psychiatric Evaluation for Vandalism Rampage at Historic Church”

– Man undergoing psychiatric evaluation
– Plymouth church vandalism rampage.

Accident – Death – Obituary News : A man from Plymouth is currently undergoing psychiatric evaluation after allegedly causing extensive damage to a historic church in Kingston, including smashing antique windows and setting fire to Pride and Black Lives Matter flags displayed outside, as reported by the Kingston police.

The suspect, identified as Jonathan White, 43, was apprehended on July 4, several hours following the incident at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church on Main Street. White is accused of vandalising the church by destroying 200-year-old shutters and antique windows, as well as discharging a fire extinguisher inside the building.

The attack on the church, established in 1851, prompted a coordinated response from multiple agencies. Kingston police enlisted the assistance of the fire department, the state fire marshal, the state police crime scene and hate crimes units, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

White is facing charges that include breaking and entering at night and malicious destruction of property. He allegedly claimed to have worked at the church and demanded payment, but the church’s groundskeeper, Paul Frongillo, denied any knowledge of White being employed by the church.

In response to the incident, the leaders of the First Parish church, founded in 1717, have organised a “community solidarity service” to express their dismay at the violent attack on their historic Meetinghouse. They described the damage to the building and the burning of the Pride and Black Lives Matter flags as a targeted act of desecration with a dark historical precedent.

The church’s statement emphasised their commitment to promoting love and understanding for all individuals, even those who perpetrate such criminal acts. Kingston police officers encountered White near the church on two occasions in the early hours of July 4, but the vandalism was not discovered until later in the morning.

Despite being observed sweeping the church steps with a vacuum cleaner at 2:30 a.m. and subsequently questioned by an officer, it wasn’t until 7 a.m. that the extent of the damage was realised. White was later spotted driving his van near the church by Officer Heath Howell, who attempted to stop him, leading to a confrontation and White allegedly driving his vehicle towards the officer before fleeing the scene.

Following his arrest, White was remanded in custody on a $5,000 cash bail by the Plymouth District Court clerk magistrate. He was later transferred to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth for a psychiatric assessment. Charges against him include leaving the scene of property damage, breaking and entering at night, vandalising a church, malicious destruction of property, and burning a public building.

Kingston police have indicated that they are continuing their investigation to determine additional details, including the motive behind the incident and the possibility of pursuing hate crime charges. For further enquiries, please contact Andrea Estes at andrea@plymouthindependent.org.

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