Man accused of spanking attack

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WAYNESVILLE, Ohio, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- An Ohio man once named his city's Citizen of the Year is accused of spanking a 29-year-old tenant during a dispute about overdue rent.

Ron Kronenberger, 53, owner of the Hometown Marketplace in Waynesville and Waynesville's Citizen of the Year in 2006, was charged with assault for allegedly exposing the 29-year-old man's bare buttocks in his office at the store and striking him four times with a belt Jan. 22, the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News reported Thursday.

"If you're going to act like a child, I'm going to treat you like one," Kronenberger allegedly said prior to the attack.

The alleged victim told Police Chief Gary Copeland "he was scared and just wanted to get it over with," the police report said.

"At this point, chief left to attempt to make contact with Ron Kronenberger about the incident, in which Ron admits whipping [the victim] due to late rent payment in the amount of $2,800," the report said.

Kronenberger was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.