FORKS — A man who said he was a member of a nudist recreation group ran bare-bunned on a trail Tuesday afternoon at the Forks Timber Museum, prompting an accusation of indecent exposure, authorities said.
Verne Howard Farrell, 67, of Forks had already put his clothes back on by the time he was cited and released for running naked on a trail practiced on by the Forks High School cross country team, Forks Police Chief Mike Rowley said Wednesday.
“He was a member of a naked recreation group who thought it would be OK,” Rowley said.
“He had a membership card and everything.
“The problem was, people who were seeing him got alarmed to see a guy naked on the trail.”
Farrell will have his first appearance in West End District Court 2 at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 27.
The Peninsula Communications dispatch log reported a naked person at 3:21 p.m. Tuesday on the trail at the museum at 1421 S. Forks Ave.
The person was seen walking back toward the museum, then sitting outside the Forks Chamber of Commerce office, then getting in his truck, which was parked in a parking lot.
An officer was reading Farrell his Miranda rights 2 minutes after the initial 9-1-1 call, according to the log.
By then, Farrell had his clothes on.
Two teenage boys ran by a fully clothed Farrell and the officer, Rowley said.
“He was done with his run,” Rowley said.
“He didn’t realize any of this would be a problem.
“He does now.”
Farrell told the sergeant who cited him that it was legal for Farrell “to go naked” in Oregon, Powell said.
“We’re not in Oregon,” Rowley added.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@ peninsuladailynews.com.
