Self-proclaimed "Indian" secedes from city

Homeowner 'secedes' from Lima; judge doesn't buy it

Man claims to form own Indian reservation in property-maintenance dispute

By Bob BlakeJudge Richard Warren told Bowersock he has 30 days to abate two properties on Lakewood Avenue the city calls a nuisance. The order comes after the city filed a motion for declaratory judgment and to abate a public nuisance in March after saying Bowersock failed to maintain his properties at 1806 and 1808 Lakewood Ave. for more than a decade.

The city began receiving complaints about Bowersock's property in the early 1990s and has issued him a succession of orders over the years.

But Bowersock says Lima has no authority to enforce property code regulations on his properties. According to Bowersock, he's an American Indian on his mother's side of the family. Based on that assertion, Bowersock said he seceded from the city, county and state and formed his own Indian reservation.

"I just think what they're doing is prejudiced. I have no objection to doing my part to make this look clean here," Bowersock said. "I do my best, though. As far as shirking my duties, I want to be a good citizen and I am a good citizen. This is terrible on the records to put down that I'm a public nuisance and I object to that."Comment:  Uh, duh. I've rarely heard anything so stupid. There's no right to call yourself a tribe or establish your own reservation because you have some Indian blood. Bowersock is obviously a scofflaw who knows what he's doing is wrong but doesn't care.

For a similar con artist, see "Grand Chief" Webber Sent to Jail. For more on the subject, see Self-Identification as an Indian.