A mother of three alleges her neighbor has stabbed her dog, splattered her car with paint and regularly shouts racial slurs at her in her relatively quiet Hammond neighborhood.
Dawn McDowell, who lives in the 6300 block of Jefferson Avenue, said, “Enough is enough.”
Now police said behavior of the neighbor, Ronald Wojtas, is captured on video, and the suspect could face possible charges and court proceedings for allegedly violating a protective order.
On Jan. 10, as soon as McDowell opened her car door, she said she heard Wojtas shouting racial insults at her from his porch.
McDowell used her phone to record Wojtas espousing N-word-laced rants toward her, including that the KKK would be coming and that black people would be killed.
The Times has reviewed the video, which seems to back McDowell's claims.
Shane O'Donnell, Wojtas' attorney, said he did not know about the incident and had no further comment on the matter. However, he said his client has been a law-abiding citizen all of his life and that McDowell's prior allegations are not true.
Dog stabbed in back
McDowell said the longstanding conflict with her neighbor stems from a day she will never forget.
On the afternoon of Oct. 16, 2017, McDowell said she received a phone call from her daughter, who was crying and saying their dog, a white and light brown pit bull named Sasha, was gone from their yard.
McDowell recalled an animal control agent telling her over the phone, “Ma'am, you need to get here. Your dog was brutally stabbed.”
“I get there, and she (the dog) has seven stab wounds and a knife lodged in her back,” McDowell said.
Wojtas had told animal control agents and his attorney that McDowell's dog had dug in the dirt under the fence, entered his yard and attacked him and his dog.
Upon inspection, McDowell said neither she nor animal control investigators found a dug-out hole near the fence.
She alleged that unless her neighbor either took her dog from her yard or went onto her property, her dog had no way of getting into Wojtas' yard.
“It rained two days before, so if she dug under the fence, she would've been filthy,” McDowell said. “She's light brown, has white feet, and she was perfectly clean. All she had were stab wounds all over her back. The veterinarian checked her mouth and said she had clean teeth and clean gums, no blood of any sort.”
Veterinarians told McDowell the knife narrowly missed Sasha's lungs. The dog made a full recovery.
Wojtas sued McDowell in Lake Superior Court for vet and medical bills, in which he presented photos of his hand that had scratches on it and his dog that had deep wounds on its thigh.
McDowell counter-sued Wojtas and presented photos of her dog, the knife, police reports and both backyards.
On Jan. 17, 2018, the judge ruled in favor of Wojtas, ordering McDowell to pay him $3,482.70 in restitution, according to court documents. McDowell said her dog's medical bills amounted to $3,280.
On June 5, Wojtas entered an order for garnishment of McDowell's wages, and on Dec. 14, 2018, McDowell filed a notice of bankruptcy.
“From that day forth, he's been giving me hell ever since,” McDowell said.
On June 13, McDowell called police because Wojtas allegedly was shooting off rounds from his shotgun.
“The next day, I open my door, the first thing as I look at my car is peach-colored paint thrown all over my car,” McDowell said.
Intimidation charges
On Dec. 18, 2017, after letting her two dogs out in her fenced backyard, McDowell told police she saw her neighbor in his yard, picking up what appeared to be a shell and loading a shotgun.
“She further stated that after putting the shells in the gun, he began yelling at her, making threats how he was going to shoot her dog if he caught her dog at his home or in his yard,” Lake County court records allege.
McDowell provided police with a photo of Wojtas in his backyard with a shotgun during the incident.
Wojtas was charged with felony intimidation as a result, Lake County court records show.
However, O'Donnell, Wojtas' attorney, said the allegations against Wojtas are 100 percent false.
"The neighbors' feud began when my client's neighbor's dog had attacked him and his dog on his property," O'Donnell said.
Because Wojtas was afraid of the incident happening again, O'Donnell said he kept a gun outside for protection.
"He had every right to be outside and have a legally obtained shotgun, for which he has a valid license for," O'Donnell said. "Because (McDowell) doesn't like my client, she called the police and said he threatened her with the gun, which isn't true."
In a pretrial agreement filed Sept. 20, the prosecutor's office agreed to withhold prosecution on the intimidation charge if Wojtas abided by a “no contact” order.
If authorities find Wojtas in violation of that protection order, he could be brought back to court on the intimidation charge, according to legal procedure.
“The victim called police in late 2017 for crimes related to the suspect threatening her with a shotgun and threatening harm to her dog,” Hammond Lt. Steve Kellogg said. “He was charged with felony intimidation at that time and placed in a no contact order.
"He has violated that order, and based on recent remarks he made in video, Hammond police detectives are investigating the crimes and deciding if filing additional charges is an option at this time," Kellogg added. "Detectives are working closely with the victim to ensure that everything possible is done to stop this criminal behavior.”
'I don't have plans on going anywhere else'
Even with the neighbor conflict, McDowell said she's standing her ground.
McDowell is a full-time working, single mother with three children, including a 17-year-old daughter, a 14-year-old son and an 11-month old girl. She moved from Chicago to Hammond in 2011 to anchor her family.
“I'm a very family-oriented person, and I moved out here because I heard nothing but good about Hammond and it being family-oriented and the mayor and what he does for the community,” McDowell said. “I like it here. I don't have any plans of going anywhere else, and I refuse to let somebody like him just run me out.”
McDowell said she doesn't know what the future holds but said she will remain vigilant in documenting incidents of harassment.
“Now we're into January, it's just been police report after police report,” McDowell said. “I'm a single woman, I have children here, so it's like, 'Why are you harassing me?' So enough is enough. I don't mind calling police like I'm supposed to, but a lot of times I'm tired of calling them.”
Alan Eduardo Garcia

Age: 24
Residence: Merrillville
Booking Number(s): 1901152
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic Battery
Class: Misdemeanor
Ariel Lopez

Age: 21
Residence: East Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901104
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: Battery on Law Enforcement
Class: Felony
Bernard Delph Jr.

Age: 27
Residence: Hammond
Booking Number(s): 1901253
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: Possession of hypodermic needle
Class: Felony
Brandon Damian Terry

Age: 41
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901060
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: Auto Theft, Resisting Law Enforcement
Class: Felony, Misdemeanor
Brandon Lee Smith

Age: 19
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901023
Arrest Date: Feb. 1, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic Battery
Class: Felony
Brent John Mleczko

Age: 35
Residence: DeMotte
Booking Number(s): 1901177
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Felony
Brian Howard O'Neal Jr.

Age: 43
Residence: Crown Point
Booking Number(s): 1901118
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Misdemeanor
Calvin Lindsey

Age: 24
Residence: Calumet City
Booking Number(s): 1901068
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic Battery
Class: Misdemeanor
Carlos Jesse Santos

Age: 18
Residence: East Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901169
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic Battery
Class: Felony
Chelsea Louise Barger

Age: 26
Residence: Valparaiso
Booking Number(s): 1901188
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: Possession of hypodermic needle
Class: Felony
Christopher David Cook

Age: 39
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901148
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Theft
Class: Felony
Clarence Jr. Davidson IV

Age: 28
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901069
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: DWS - Prior, Criminal Confinement
Class: Misdemeanor, Felony
Corey Devalle Doss

Age: 22
Residence: County Club, IL
Booking Number(s): 1901189
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: Obstruction of Justice
Class: Felony
Damien Richard Chan

Age: 35
Residence: Crown Point
Booking Number(s): 1901082
Arrest Date: Feb. 3, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic Battery
Class: Misdemeanor
Daquon James Taylor

Age: 24
Residence: Calumet City
Booking Number(s): 1901158
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Fraud
Class: Felony
Darius Jamell Baker Jr.

Age: 29
Residence: St. Cloud, IN
Booking Number(s): 1901199
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: Possession of cocaine
Class: Felony
Darren Michael Bryant

Age: 26
Residence: Merrillville
Booking Number(s): 1901150
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Battery
Class: Felony
David Keith Wilson

Age: 31
Residence: OWI
Booking Number(s): 1901216
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Felony
David Robert Zinn

Age: 35
Residence: Hebron
Booking Number(s): 1901093
Arrest Date: Feb. 3, 2019
Offense Description: OWI, Possess Marijuana/Hashish
Class: Misdemeanors
David Stanley Allendorf

Age: 56
Residence: Portage
Booking Number(s): 1901053
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Misdemeanor
Donell Jones

Age: 50
Residence: East Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901067
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic Battery (Violence)
Class: Misdemeanor
Durron James Allen Degroot

Age: 19
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901023
Arrest Date: Feb. 1, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic Battery
Class: Misdemeanor
Duwayne Richardson

Age: 34
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901133
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: Operating a Vehicle as a HTV
Class: Felony
Ebonique Renee Kemp

Age: 33
Residence: Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901202
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic battery
Class: Misdemeanor
Eduardo Sanchez

Age: 30
Residence: Lake Station
Booking Number(s): 1901151
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Intimidation
Class: Felony
Edward Sanchez

Age: 54
Residence: Crown Point
Booking Number(s): 1901179
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Fraud
Class: Felony
Eileen Leona Atkosh

Age: 35
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901154
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Fraud on financial institution
Class: Felony
Elias Jose Costello

Age: 19
Residence: East Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901237
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: Escape
Class: Felony
Eric Christopher Lefort

Age: 34
Residence: Elgin, IL
Booking Number(s): 1901157
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Theft
Class: Felony
Eugene Echols

Age: 66
Residence: East Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901026
Arrest Date: Feb. 1, 2019
Offense Description: Possess Cocaine/Narcotic Drug, Possess Cocaine/Narcotic Drug
Class: Felonies
Gabrielle Frances Miller

Age: 31
Residence: Rensselear
Booking Number(s): 1901227
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: Auto Theft
Class: Felony
Grace Amber Wright

Age: 33
Residence: Lake in the Hills, Illinois
Booking Number(s): 1901112
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: Identity Deception, Theft/Rec Stol Prop
Class: Felonies
Harry Scott Sturgeon Jr.

Age: 54
Residence: Plymouth, Indiana
Booking Number(s): 1901016
Arrest Date: Feb. 1, 2019
Offense Description: Conversion, OWI
Class: Misdemeanors
He Hailin

Age: 36
Residence: Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901192
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: Promoting Prostitution
Class: Felony
Ian Patrick Nagel

Age: 32
Residence: Cedar Lake
Booking Number(s): 1901035
Arrest Date: Feb. 1, 2019
Offense Description: OWI, OWI Endangering a Person
Class: Misdemeanors
Isiah King Jr.

Age: 40
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901184
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Felony
Jamaal Amin Harvey

Age: 42
Residence: Merrillville
Booking Number(s): 1901252
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: Dealing in cocaine
Class: Felony
James Douglas Lunsfor Heth

Age: 31
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901235
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: Theft
Class: Felony
Jarod Deangelo Johnson.jpg

Jasmine Christine Ward

Age: 22
Residence: Bolingbrook, IL
Booking Number(s): 1901194
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: Battery
Class: Misdemeanor
Jason Marshawn King Sr.

Age: 24
Residence: Hammond
Booking Number(s): 1901141
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic Battery
Class: Misdemeanor
Javier Montanez

Age: 51
Residence: Hammond
Booking Number(s): 1901057
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: Kidnapping
Class: Felony
Javier Perez

Age: 25
Residence: Crown Point
Booking Number(s): 1901249
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Misdemeanor
Jeremiah Lee Parker

Age: 41
Residence: Portage
Booking Number(s): 1901207
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: Theft
Class: Felony
Jeremy Edward Johnsen

Age: 36
Residence: Lowell
Booking Number(s): 1901131
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: Resisting Law Enforcement
Class: Felony
Jessica Lane Cunningham

Age: 33
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901062
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic Battery, Battery
Class: Misdemeanors
Joey Patrick Viggiani

Age: 27
Residence: Godley, Illinois
Booking Number(s): 1901132
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: Possess Cocaine or Narcotic Dr, Poss/Control Hypodermic Needle
Class: Felonies
John Anthony Golub

Age: 24
Residence: Highland
Booking Number(s): 1901140
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Possess Cocaine or Narcotic Drug
Class: Felony
Jonathan Eric Cunningham

Age: 27
Residence: Merrillville
Booking Number(s): 1901233
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Misdemeanor
Joshua Angel Valdez

Age: 27
Residence: East Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901056
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: OWI, OWI - at least .15%, OWI Endangering a Person
Class: Misdemeanor
Joshua Quade Minto

Age: 28
Residence: Hebron
Booking Number(s): 1901109
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: Possess Cocaine/Narcotic Drug
Class: Felony
Jovan Bentley Davis

Age: 26
Residence: Calumet Park
Booking Number(s): 1901214
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Misdemeanor
Kahnii Raylynn Baylor

Age: 23
Residence: East Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901066
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic Battery PrevConv/Pres of Child
Class: Felony
Kenneth Padilla

Age: 19
Residence: Whiting
Booking Number(s): 1901174
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: Intimidation
Class: Felony
Kenneth Richard Thews

Age: 20
Residence: Cedar Lake
Booking Number(s): 1901081
Arrest Date: Feb. 3, 2019
Offense Description: OWI Endangering a Person
Class: Misdemeanor
Kimberly Sue Neeley Morse

Age: 53
Residence: Lake Station
Booking Number(s): 1901162
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Possession of methamphetamine
Class: Felony
Kristee Lyn Rainbolt

Age: 33
Residence: Dyer
Booking Number(s): 1901171
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Possession of cocaine
Class: Felony
Leonard C. Smith

Age: 48
Residence: Calumet City
Booking Number(s): 1901055
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Misdemeanor
Marcus Jamal McKinney

Age: 29
Residence: Merrillville
Booking Number(s): 1901084
Arrest Date: Feb. 3, 2019
Offense Description: Theft/Rec Stol Prop
Class: Felony
Maurice Antonio Anderson

Age: 46
Residence: Lafayette
Booking Number(s): 1901113
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Misdemeanor
Maurice Thomas Bates

Age: 34
Residence: Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901037
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: Dealing in Cocaine or Narcotic Drugs
Class: Felony
Melinda Yvette Perry

Age: 28
Residence: Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901107
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: Fraud
Class: Felony
Melissa Powell

Age: 34
Residence: Merrillville
Booking Number(s): 1901134
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Misdemeanor
Michael David Staples

Age: 34
Residence: Cedar Lake
Booking Number(s): 1901165
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Conversion
Class: Misdemeanor
Michael Gene Richardson

Age: 24
Residence: Cedar Lake
Booking Number(s): 1901215
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Misdemeanor
Michael Joseph Trent

Age: 47
Residence: New Carlisle
Booking Number(s): 1901240
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: Non support of dependent child
Class: Felony
Michael Ray Greer

Age: 55
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901187
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: Obstruction of Justice
Class: Felony
Michelle Marie Foye

Age: 46
Residence: Highland
Booking Number(s): 1901120
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: Theft
Class: Felony
Nathan Andrew Ponziano

Age: 19
Residence: Lowell
Booking Number(s): 1901231
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic battery
Class: Felony
Nemanja Kucanin

Age: 35
Residence: Schererville
Booking Number(s): 1901138
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Possess Cocaine/Narcotic Drug, Criminal Trespass
Class: Felony, Misdemeanor
Nicholas Ray Duff

Age: 37
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901164
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Resisting law enforcement
Class: Felony
Nickolas Pete Parker

Age: 18
Residence: Hobart
Booking Number(s): 1901228
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: Intimidation
Class: Felony
Nolan Ryan Mayersky

Age: 28
Residence: Merrillville
Booking Number(s): 1901116
Arrest Date: Feb. 4, 2019
Offense Description: Possess Cocaine/Narcotic Drug
Class: Felony
Reginald Lee Johnson Jr.

Age: 20
Residence: Merrillville
Booking Number(s): 1901238
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: Child Molesting
Class: Felony
Robert Alan Phillips

Age: 59
Residence: Hobart
Booking Number(s): 1901178
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: Possession of cocaine
Class: Felony
Santos Torres

Age: 48
Residence: East Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901050
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: Theft
Class: Felony
Scott A. Thompson

Age: 56
Residence: Sauk Village, Illinois
Booking Number(s): 1901090
Arrest Date: Feb. 3, 2019
Offense Description: OWI, OWI Endangering a Person
Class: Misdemeanors
Scott Allan Renk

Age: 41
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901018
Arrest Date: Feb. 1, 2019
Offense Description: Home Improvement Fraud, Theft/Rec Stol Prop
Class: Felony, Misdemeanor
Steven Charles Mulder

Age: 39
Residence: Lowell
Booking Number(s): 1901218
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: OWI
Class: Misdemeanor
Taylor Ann Bates

Age: 26
Residence: Demotte
Booking Number(s): 1901261
Arrest Date: Feb. 7, 2019
Offense Description: OWI- Prior
Class: Felony
Teresa Ann Blue

Age: 46
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 1901137
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: False Report/Inform, Possess Cocaine/Narcotic Drug
Class: Misdemeanor, Felony
Terrell Damen Rushing

Age: 20
Residence: Bolingbrook, IL
Booking Number(s): 1901205
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic battery
Class: Misdemeanor
Tiffany Roxanne John

Age: 28
Residence: Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901065
Arrest Date: Feb. 2, 2019
Offense Description: Theft/Rec Stol Prop, Theft/Rec Stol Prop, Theft/Rec Stol Prop
Class: Felonies
Troy Jacob Lucas

Age: 24
Residence: Cedar Lake
Booking Number(s): 1901160
Arrest Date: Feb. 5, 2019
Offense Description: Domestic Battery
Class: Felony
Tyreq Marquis Bryant

Age: 22
Residence: Lansing
Booking Number(s): 1901013
Arrest Date: Feb. 1, 2019
Offense Description: Common Nuisance, Disorderly Conduct
Class: Felony, Misdemeanor
Xiao Zhou

Age: 31
Residence: Chicago
Booking Number(s): 1901192
Arrest Date: Feb. 6, 2019
Offense Description: Promoting prostitution
Class: Felony