Waverly Man Charged After Disrupting Traffic During Parking Dispute
WAVERLY, N.Y. — A Waverly man is facing a disorderly conduct charge following an incident that disrupted traffic on Broad Street Thursday evening, according to the Waverly Police Department.
Police say the incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. on March 12 while an officer was on foot patrol in the downtown area, monitoring parking compliance. During the patrol, the Officer was using a parking device to check vehicles when he encountered Keith W. Thomas, 67, of Waverly.
According to the report, Thomas was observed walking in the middle of Broad Street, obstructing traffic in both directions. Police said the behavior caused vehicles, including a Honda SUV, to slow down as Thomas remained in the roadway.
The situation stemmed from a dispute over parking enforcement. Thomas questioned the officer about parking tickets and was reportedly upset about enforcement practices in the area. Police say Thomas ignored multiple requests to move out of the roadway and continued walking in traffic.
During the encounter, officers also determined that a vehicle associated with Thomas had been parked for an extended period and was double parked at one point. When asked to move the vehicle, Thomas allegedly refused and walked away.
Police issued Thomas an appearance ticket for disorderly conduct under New York State Penal Law 240.20, citing obstruction of vehicular traffic and causing a public inconvenience.
Thomas is scheduled to appear in the Village of Waverly Justice Court on March 26, 2026 at 1:30pm.
Additional individuals were interviewed in connection with the incident, and police noted the interaction was captured on body camera and nearby surveillance systems.
The alleged incident came just two days after a heated open comment period during the Village of Waverly Board Meeting on March 10th in which dozens of people turned up specifically to speak out about Thomas’ behavior regarding parking on Broad Street. Video of that open comment period can be viewed here.
