Man Who Tried to Stop Lowe Filming Arrested

A man who unsuccessfully sought to prevent use of the apartment house in which he lives for filming of a movie starring controversial actor Rob Lowe was arrested Friday for reportedly pushing an off-duty police officer working at the filming site.

The suspect, street corner preacher John Medford, 47, had sought a court order preventing filming at the West 9th Street apartment cooperative because of Lowe’s recent notoriety over allegations that he videotaped himself in a sex act with a 16-year-old girl.

Not only was Medford turned down in court, but fellow owners of apartments in the MacArthur Park-area cooperative took a vote on the issue and decided against him.

When Medford showed up at the location “he acted against orders to stay off the set and started moving things around and generally harassing everybody. When the officer told him to stop, he resorted to physical force,” Rampart Division Police Sgt. Alex Salazar said.

The officer made a citizen’s arrest for battery on Medford and he was jailed in lieu of $500 bail. Police said they did not know if Lowe was on the set of “Bad Influence” at the time.