KINGSTON — A Plymouth man is facing felony charges after allegedly causing tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage to a Kingston church, including burning Pride and Black Lives Matter flags that were hanging outside the church.
Unitarian Church Destroyed
Kingston Police Department
Kingston police were notified early Tuesday morning of damage to the First Parish Unitarian Church on Main Street. The damage to the church included the ripping off and destruction of 200-year-old handmade shutters, the smashing of antique glass, and the spraying of a fire extinguisher throughout the church. Pride and Black Lives Matter flags outside the church were ripped off and set alight. The fire also charred the building.
Full damage estimates have not yet been made, but initial estimates put the damage in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Suspect arrested
Kingston Police Department
The suspect identified in the investigation, Johnathan White, 43, of Plymouth, was arrested after he returned to the church while police were investigating at the scene. According to police, a detective attempted to pull White over, but he yelled at the detective and fled in his vehicle. White was stopped in his vehicle by a police officer a short distance away.
White is facing multiple felony charges and will be arraigned in Plymouth District Court. Police are asking anyone living on Main Street to review surveillance camera footage from midnight to 6:30 a.m. on July 4, specifically any footage of a white 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe.
Police said the motive for the crime is unknown and that police are still investigating to determine whether hate crime charges will be filed.
