A 75-year-old Urbana man, Ronald Boling, was charged with public indecency following an incident Friday, September 11, at Walmart on East U.S. 36.
According to a report from the Urbana Police Division, officers were dispatched to the store at 1840 East U.S. 36 after receiving a report of a male exposing himself and urinating into a bottle.
Police spoke with several Walmart employees and witnesses who reported that Boling was attempting to check out when he said he needed to use the restroom.
According to the report, Boling was using a mobility cart and attempted to enter the women’s restroom. Employees stopped him because it was the women’s restroom and because he had unpaid merchandise in the cart.
Witnesses told officers Boling then went toward the customer service area, where he obtained a bottle and urinated into it. One witness told police Boling exposed himself while doing so and was in plain view of people in the store.
Boling admitted to police that he urinated into a bottle but denied exposing himself or being in public view. He told officers he had repeatedly said he needed to use the restroom but was unable to take the mobility cart inside while carrying unpaid merchandise. Boling told police the witnesses were lying about seeing him expose himself.
Police advised Boling he would be charged and read him his Miranda rights. He was later allowed to complete his purchase and was issued a two-year trespass notice from Walmart.
Boling was charged with Public Indecency, a fourth-degree misdemeanor.
Boling appeared in court for arraignment on September 14. He entered a not guilty plea.
The court granted an OR bond with a special condition that Boling have no contact with Walmart. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for September 29 at 10:30 a.m.
According to the report, Boling told officers he planned to take the matter to court, citing concerns about restroom accessibility due to his mobility restrictions. Officers advised him that the criminal charge was related to the alleged exposure in a public area.
