WINONA, Minn. – The night clerk at the Days Inn on the Far West End called police about a homeless and apparently penniless man asking for a room and then loitering in the warm lobby. Such began a difficult odyssey in a police squad car to the downtown warming center – and the arrest of Leighton Lyle Leroy Munger, 59, whom officer said became increasingly belligerant. This, according to the police report, is what happened.
> Police were summoned at 12:58 p.m. to Days Inn, 420 Cottonwood Drive.
> Munger said he couldn’t afford a room. The officer volunteered to drive him to the downtown warming center at 63 West Third.
> Once in the squad car, Munger said he wouldn’t feel safe at the warming center and became verbally aggressive.
> At the warming center, Munger refused to leave the vehicle. The police called a warming center staff member to the car to calm Munger but to no avail.
> Munger eyed the officer’s gun and threatened to take to take it.
> The officer called for backup.
> Munger escalated his threats, climbed out of the car, dropped some personal gear, and clenched his fists at the officer. “I’m going for your gun,” he kept repeating
> Police managed to cuff the man, who was taken to jail, a reasonably warm place compared to the outside with wind chill at 30 degrees.. The booking was at 12:58 a.m.
Munger. Booking charge: Terroristic threats.