A Northeast Ohio man was properly convicted of failing to come down from the collapsed roof of his home, the state appeals court ruled.

In late 2024, the Conneaut home of Felix Stanis suffered a roof collapse after a large buildup of snow.

The authorities taped off the property, and the utilities were shut off. The fire department instructed Stanis not to enter the home until the health department could evaluate it for safety.

The evaluation showed that the home was an “immediate collapse hazard,” and Stanis was instructed to have it demolished within 48 hours. A police officer told Stanis that he would be arrested if the crossed the caution tape.

Instead, Stanis used a boom lift from his construction business to ascend to the roof of the home to survey the damage along with another man.

The police told Stanis twice to get off the roof. Stanis called his attorney before descending after a third warning.

Police arrested Stanis, who was charged with a misdemeanor count of misconduct at an emergency.

He received a 180-day suspended sentence, along with a $750 fine, court costs, and three years of community control.

Stanis appealed, arguing that the situation had stabilized and was not an emergency.

The Ohio Court of Appeals upheld the conviction in a decision written by Judge Robert J. Patton.

“A collapsing roof poses many possible dangers to the structure and those within the surrounding area,” Patton stated. “Ashtabula’s Board of Commissioners determined the property to not only be unsafe but also ‘dangerous to human life’ and ‘a serious hazard.’

“Recognizing that a measure of deference is owed to an officer’s assessment of danger to bystanders and discerning impediment to efforts and safety of the officers attempting to manage the situation, a rational juror could have concluded that the scene was an emergency,” the judge added.