A 48-year-old Russells Point man was arrested Tuesday after police say he was seen smoking marijuana at a village park while carrying a loaded firearm.
According to the Russells Point Police Department, officers first encountered Michael Lister around 2:30 Tuesday afternoon at the basketball courts behind the Municipal Building.
Officers saw Lister rolling a marijuana cigarette on a park bench and told him he could not smoke marijuana in a public park.
Police say Lister argued with the officer before leaving the park.
Later that afternoon, Lister contacted Logan County Dispatch to ask about marijuana laws in public areas.
Police say he was given the same information and argued with the officer before hanging up.
Around 6:25 p.m., officers were called back to the park after Lister contacted dispatch regarding employee parking and said he would continue to bother police if they continued bothering him.
When officers arrived, they say they smelled burnt marijuana coming from Lister.
Lister admitted to smoking marijuana in the park multiple times, including when children were present.
Police then escorted Lister to his backpack to retrieve his identification.
Officers say they again smelled marijuana coming from the backpack, and Lister admitted he had marijuana inside.
Police located a partially smoked marijuana cigarette and a Hi-Point .380-caliber handgun with two loaded magazines.
Police later reviewed surveillance video and say it showed Lister smoking marijuana at the basketball courts around 6:06 p.m., approximately 20 minutes before officers made contact with him.
The video also showed Lister leaving the marijuana cigarette and firearm unattended on a bench while he walked to the Municipal Building.
According to police, Lister admitted he smokes marijuana every day and typically carries his firearm with him.
After consulting with the Logan County Prosecutor’s Office, Lister was arrested.
He was charged with using weapons while intoxicated, a first-degree misdemeanor, and forms of marijuana, an unclassified misdemeanor.
Washington Township Police assisted Russells Point officers at the scene.
Lister was transported to the Logan County Jail.
