Clearwater man arrested during council meeting, accused of trespassing
Clearwater Police arrested a man during a City Council meeting Thursday night for refusing to leave after Mayor Brian Aungst Sr. said he violated the city’s rules of conduct.
Daniel Holuba, 67, was led out of council chambers at the Main Library in handcuffs, booked into Pinellas County jail and charged with misdemeanor trespass. He was released on $500 bond at 7:26 a.m. Friday, according to jail records.
Holuba, a Clearwater resident, had addressed the council during the public comment portion of the meeting and criticized city staff and the Clearwater Police Department. He questioned why an officer was not fired after an internal investigation determined she had falsely arrested a suspect for a concealed firearm when the possession was legal. The officer was given a letter of reprimand.
Holuba addressed City Manager Jennifer Poirrier from the lectern, saying “when are you going to do something about Clearwater Police? They are running amok.”
Holuba then spoke directly to Assistant City Manager Daniel Slaughter and City Attorney David Margolis, while appearing to record them, and accused them of conflicts of interest.
To end his three-minute monologue, Holuba addressed the mayor.
“I do aggravate the thin skin of Brian Aungst,” Holuba said and began walking away.
Aungst slammed his gavel and issued Holuba a verbal warning, saying “the next time you do that you’re going to be thrown out.” Holuba made a noise, turned around and walked back to the lectern.
Aungst then asked police in attendance to “please remove Mr. Holuba from the meeting.”
”I have civil rights, Mr. Aungst,” Holuba said. “Which you are violating right now.”
Holuba refused to leave after Sgt. Jarred Stiff asked him to while four other officers stood by. Stiff explained he’d be issued a trespass warning if he refused.
“Issue it,” Holuba said.
Stiff stated Holuba was then officially issued with a trespass warning and that he would be arrested if he didn’t leave.
“I f-----g dare you,” Holuba replied. Stiff put Holuba in handcuffs and the officers escorted him out.
The council approved new rules of conduct in September after repeated incidents during public comment that they said interfered with the city’s ability to conduct business. During the swearing-in ceremony for Police Chief Eric Gandy last year, another protester, Michael Taylor of Port St. Lucie, sat in view of the camera and held his middle finger in the air for much of the ceremony.
Holuba has attended council meetings for several years, always criticizing city officials and primarily the police.
The council rules prohibit speakers from extending the middle finger or making obscene gestures while another person has the floor; engaging in name calling or personal attacks against an identifiable individual; and refusing to leave the podium once the allotted time to speak has expired, among other actions.
If a person violates the rules, the mayor can issue them a warning. If the person “refuses to correct their behavior” or continues to violate the rule after the warning, the mayor may direct the person to leave, according to the rules. Upon request by the mayor, the police shall escort the person from the chambers and shall not be readmitted to the same meeting but can return for future meetings, the rules state.
Holuba was arrested in December 2014 and charged with five felony counts of identity fraud and one felony count of criminal use of a public record after police said he used a Clearwater police sergeant’s Social Security number to apply fraudulently for credit cards in the sergeant’s name. Prosecutors dropped all charges in 2017 after they said they could not prove Holuba committed the crimes from a computer seized from his home.
Holuba denied all the allegations and at the time called it “a case of harassment and vengeance.”
