YOUNGSTOWN - The father of a man who is charged with murdering an elderly woman outside a South Side church was arrested on intimidation charges Monday for the second time.
John Houser, 47, 2704 Volney Road, is expected to be arraigned in Municipal Court today on charges of intimidating a victim or witness of crime and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Houser was arrested at West Boston and Hillman avenues about 11:45 p.m. Monday. He is in the Mahoning County Jail until his arraignment.
His son, Jamar, 20, is also in the Mahoning County Jail on a charge of aggravated murder. He could face the death penalty if convicted of the Jan. 23, 2010, shooting death of Angeline Fimognari, 80, outside St. Dominic Church.
A man who told police he is a witness to the murder said in a police report he was at a 2637 Glenwood Ave. gas station about 6 p.m. Monday and as he walked out, the elder Houser threatened him.
The man got in his car and drove away, and John Houser got in his car and tried to run him off the road, reports state.
When officers pulled Houser over, they also found a crack pipe in his pocket, according to reports.
John Houser and Jamar Houser's mother, Frances Cianciola, were each placed on probation in May 2010 by Common Pleas Court Judge Lou D'Apolito after pleading guilty to threatening a witness in the case against their son.
D'Apolito placed them both on probation and warned them at the time that they would go to jail immediately if they have any contact with anyone involved in the case. John Houser is on five years' probation in that case.
Police Chief Rod Foley said the safety of witnesses is something he thinks about.
''That's something that always concerns us,'' Foley said.
Jamar Houser has a pretrial hearing Feb. 21. His trial is set form May 14 in front of D'Apolito.
Police believe that Fimognari was shot after being robbed near her car.