Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 18, 1991 TAG: 9102180307
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-5 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: STAUNTON LENGTH: Medium
William H. Donegan Jr., 39, of Hyde Park, N.Y., was forced from the restroom Sunday with chemical Mace spray after a conductor on the Chicago-New York train alerted Staunton police that a man had barricaded himself, police said.
"It was unknown whether he had a weapon, even though he indicated he did," said Staunton police Sgt. W.G. Austin. Donegan was unarmed.
After passengers got off the train, police entered the car and tried to talk Donegan out of the restroom, said Sgt. R.L. Hartless.
"When we got there, he indicated to us he had a pistol and if we would start shooting he would shoot back," Austin said.
After repeated attempts, police sprayed Mace into the restroom and Donegan voluntarily unlocked the restroom door and was arrested, Austin said.
Passengers said Donegan, who boarded in Chicago, had been harassing them.
"He started arousing suspicion from the beginning," said passenger Robert M. Bloxom of Staunton.
Bloxom also boarded in Chicago, on his way back from an insurance seminar in Bloomington, Ill.
"I thought I'd take a train for a change and see the sights," Bloxom said.
Bloxom said Donegan moved from one place to another on the train, sitting with one passenger and then another.
At one point Donegan sat down next to him, Bloxom said, but he continued to read a book and Donegan moved to another seat.
A woman aboard the 150-passenger train, reportedly bought Donegan breakfast in the dining car and he later began ordering her around, Bloxom said.
"The conductor began talking to him and telling him to leave people alone. After being confronted by the conductor due to his actions, he went into the bathroom," Bloxom said.
by CNB