A Grieving Man Was Arrested For Leaving Flowers At His Fiancee’s Grave
A man whose fiancee died tragically is now facing a trial for leaving flowers at her grave. The man will go to trial in March after he was arrested and charged for leaving tokens of love for her. The Alabama man was charged with criminal littering according to news reports. Winchester Hagans met Hannah Ford in 2019 and the couple got engaged in 2020. Before they could get married, the 27-year-old was killed in a car accident on January 17, 2021.
Hagans built a flower box at her gravesite. It featured their engagement photos around the border. Unfortunately, someone kept throwing the flowers away. Hagans would continue to rebuild, but the flowers and box kept getting removed. Even though the couple wasn't on the best terms with some members of Ford's family, Hagan says that no one told him not to build the flower box.
Credit: New York Post via Youtube
In January, while he was on his way to preach at a church, he was pulled over by police for having an expired tag. During the traffic stop, he was told by the officer that he had a warrant out for his arrest. His fiancee's father had signed a warrant to have Hagan arrested for criminal littering.
According to the complaint said,
A person commits the crime of criminal littering if he or she engages in any of the following acts: (1) Knowingly deposits in any manner litter on any public or private property or in any public or private waters, having no permission to do so. Hayden Thomas Ford is the property owner of his daughter Hannah Ford’s cemetery plot located at Memorial Park in Auburn, Alabama. Approximately 7 -8 flower boxes have been placed on Hannah’s gravesite without his permission. Winston Hagans has been advised not to place unauthorized items on Hannah’s grave. Winston has posted via social media “someone keeps throwing away the flowers I plant…but each time he throws them away, I’ll plant more.” The flower box contains photos of Winston Hagans and Hannah Ford attached around the box.
Because the burial plot is owned by her family, it is considered private property. Hagans has pleaded not guilty and is due in court on March 17, 2022, to face the charge.