Greene County, Indiana · Saturday, November 21, 2009
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Naked man ends up in hospital

Monday, December 1, 2008

Greene County Sheriff's Lt. Bryan Woodall and several other deputies and emergency personnel responded early Monday morning to an unusual incident in eastern Greene County.

It involved a 70-year-old man, Freddie Lennings, who forced his way into a neighbor woman's home.

When deputies arrived on the scene, Lennings was found to have severe self-inflicted injuries and was transported to Bloomington Hospital by the Greene County Ambulance Service.

The sheriff's department first received a call at approximately 8:30 a.m. about a male who had forced his way into a residence located on County Road 425S, also known as Wright Rd., off of State Road 45 in Jackson Township.

Woodall said that when he arrived, the woman said she was awoken by a noise at the door. When she went to check on it, she opened the main door to check the screen door. She said Lennings then grabbed the door, opened it and walked in without permission. The woman said the two then sat in her living room until she thought she heard her daughter coming. Her daughter lives down a long lane behind her house.

The woman said she then got up and went to the bathroom only to come out and find Lennings standing with no clothes on.

The woman stated that Lennings asked her to take her clothes off too and she refused saying she was "not like that" and telling him they were only friends. He then grabbed her and held her tight but she kept telling him no until she was finally able to shove him away.

The woman then ran out her front door and started to run down the long lane to her daughter's house. Lennings followed her down the driveway wearing a pair pants.

When the woman reached the daughter's house, she went in and attempted to explain what was happening. The daughter got her husband up and also made the call to 911.

The daughter's husband went out on the porch to talk with Lennings but the two got into an altercation. The husband got Lennings down on the porch and was attempting to hold him until police arrived but Lennings became more agitated and pulled a fishing stringer out of his pocket and stabbed the husband twice in a forearm. Lennings then got up and started running toward the road.

Woodall said when officers arrived, they attempted to locate Lennings, but were not able to although they did find his vehicle parked approximately 1/4 mile east from the intersection of SR 45 and Wright Rd.

When Woodall checked the woman's residence, the doors were locked but the woman said she had not locked the doors when she left her house in a hurry.

Both the main front door and the screen door were found to be locked, and though the daughter was able to provide officers with a key for the main door, officers had to force the screen door open.

Woodall reported that when officers entered the home, they found Lennings "in the bedroom causing bodily harm to himself" with a knife.

Officers secured the weapon and called for an ambulance.

Lennings underwent surgery Monday afternoon, but as of late Monday, no further information was available regarding his condition or possible criminal charges that might be filed in connection with the incident.


Comments
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wow

-- Posted by lakerrunner2010 on Mon, Dec 1, 2008, at 4:38 PM

double wow

-- Posted by alwaysinterested on Mon, Dec 1, 2008, at 5:12 PM

And to think this is right up the road from me. How scary.

-- Posted by Concernedingc on Mon, Dec 1, 2008, at 5:16 PM

If he has that bad can you imagine what he would do in the Greene County Jail? He wouldn't climb the walls he would break through them!!!

-- Posted by hamerdrop on Mon, Dec 1, 2008, at 10:20 PM

Wow is right I have known fred for over 25 yrs.This is not the person that I know but rather I have to believe it is the disease that he has, alzheimers. The victims in this article are close friends of his...hard to believe

-- Posted by regor058 on Mon, Dec 1, 2008, at 11:38 PM

It has been my pleasure to know Mr Lennings for several years ,I can assure you the events that took place at the widows farm are not at all in Mr. Lennings character. He is a kind and decent man.

The ravages of the disease he is fighting Must have overtook him that morning. May the Father bless you and hold you and your family my friend.

-- Posted by frank33s on Tue, Dec 2, 2008, at 10:41 AM

To hamerdrop and Concerninged

Hamerdrop you obviously don't know the man in question. My fear is how he is going to react once he understands the implications of that days event's. I assure you there will be an internal struggle of epic proportion. As regoro said the people that this unfortunate turn of events were witness and subject to had been close friends for years. The type that would feed each others animals while they were away and look out for there homes as well.

As for your concerns Concerninged rest at ease. I assure you My former boss does not go about in the night stalking victims. At the most you may have seen him out riding a old speckled mule hollering for another that had jumped the fence.

-- Posted by frank33s on Tue, Dec 2, 2008, at 11:41 AM

Mr. Lenning is a kind man who would do anything for a friend, especially the victimized woman to whom these events occured. He has a gentle soul and has always been known to adore his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He speaks often of family and friends. He loves to go to horseman camps and always brings along one of his beloved mules. He also enjoys going out dancing every chance he can find.

As I understand some patients with alzheimer's disease can undergo psychotic lapses of time, a lot of them deal with violent outrages. This seems to me to be the only explination for the events that were said to have happened yesterday. I am sure that there is more to this story than what they were allowed to print in the newspaper.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Lenning and his family. May God Bless you, and Carry you through this painful chapter of your lives.

-- Posted by sweethoosier04 on Tue, Dec 2, 2008, at 3:45 PM

I am the family of the woman assualted and there is no excuse for the actions that took place Monday morning. A kind and caring man does not attempt to rape a widow. Fred is a stubborn man and refused to take no as an answer. This man is not in my prayers and I hope he rots in the Greene county jail. Let him find out what rape is.

-- Posted by hannahgrace on Tue, Dec 2, 2008, at 5:04 PM

I am the family of the woman assualted and there is no excuse for the actions that took place Monday morning. A kind and caring man does not attempt to rape a widow. Fred is a stubborn man and refused to take no as an answer. This man is not in my prayers and I hope he rots in the Greene county jail. Let him find out what rape is.

-- Posted by hannahgrace on Tue, Dec 2, 2008, at 5:05 PM

I have also known fred for years, while i agree it seems out of place i still belive he knew what he was doing and that it was wrong.

-- Posted by jonesb_1987 on Tue, Dec 2, 2008, at 6:31 PM

I was Fred's daughter-in-law for 15 years and a

nurses aide in a nursing home at one time.

I can attest to the fact that this type of

mental break is commom in these paients and

Fred would NEVER KNOWINGLY do this and my heart breaks that after a 18 year battle with the diease

HE is being judged for something he wasn't aware of doing,and had he EVER dreamed he could hurt someone other than himself he probably would have given up on life long ago.PLEASE remember He is a 70 yr.old veteran with many grandchildren who are trying to deal with this tradgey and they see what you write.This diease can strike anywhere,so remember this "before the grace of GOD go I"before you begin to strike your keys in anger.

-- Posted by MissyLenning on Tue, Dec 2, 2008, at 11:02 PM

I believe that all people should be prayed for regardless of his/her character, first of all. Secondly, I can't believe so many people make hasty remarks without getting the whole story. I am one to investigate or dig deeper into stories before I make such lasting comments about people, who like someone mentioned, has a family out there who has to face the consequences of Mr. Lennings's actions. I feel badly for both parties and hope neither has to endure something like this ever again!

-- Posted by garfield on Wed, Dec 3, 2008, at 10:42 AM

this man new what he was doing. I know the woman & she is a very good person.I hope he rots in jail

M June

-- Posted by M June on Wed, Dec 3, 2008, at 10:30 PM

Hannahgrace;

If you are a family member of the victim, then you would know that she was not raped. For Mr. Lenning to "rot in the Greene County Jail" and "find out what rape is." Seems like a hostile remark from someone without full knowledge of the entire situation. My deepest sympathies are with the victimized family. However, I too am praying for the family of Mr. Lenning. Though they check in with him daily, they cannot be with him 24 hours a day. The doctors had not yet deemed him incompetent, therefore the family did not have a leg to stand on when it came to institutionalizing Mr. Lenning. I am certain that if any of them felt that he were a danger to his community, they would have taken care of the problem. It is true that Mr. Lenning should not be driving, as I am sure the family is aware of. They have taken steps before to try to have his license revoked, with no success. The BMV has a certain procedure that must be met. Remember please that not only his adult family members, but the children as well are being affected by this unusual turn of events. How will it be explained to his six-year old great-granddaughter who has been riding his animals since the day she was born. I know that you feel that you have every right in the world to be critical in this situation, but have you ever wondered why, if the woman felt like she was in danger, would she let Mr. Lenning in and talk with him on the couch? This article in no way explains all of the facts regarding that morning, and to take the media's reference to it as true would be inconceivable. Please remember that there are always two sides to every story before hateful remarks are made.

-- Posted by sweethoosier04 on Thu, Dec 4, 2008, at 2:40 PM

sweethoosier04

So what is the difference between rape and attempted rape. He still tried. Are you sure you have full knowlege of the situation.

-- Posted by jonesb_1987 on Thu, Dec 4, 2008, at 9:02 PM

wow. this sounds pretty crazy. i will be praying for both of them. its gotta take a heartless person to not pray for someone who has problems such as this guy.

i do hope this guy is punished for his actions. he did what he did, whether he was being himself or not. but i also hope they get him some real help, because it seems this guy has some problems or something.

-- Posted by giantdave on Thu, Dec 4, 2008, at 9:13 PM

Sweethoosier04

My first response to your comment would be that I did not ever say that this man raped her. He attempted to and if she would not gotten away from him he would have succeeded. Why else would the man stand naked in the bedroom and not stop when she said to? My second response was that I have the entire story. I know more than you do for sure. But... Fred knew what he was doing. I myself have witnessed many of freds failed attempts to date this woman. He just wouldnt leave her alone.

-- Posted by hannahgrace on Fri, Dec 5, 2008, at 3:53 PM

This is a sad, sad story all the way around.

-- Posted by blin08 on Sat, Dec 6, 2008, at 10:55 AM


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