Campground owners suing social media critics for libel, trespassing

It started with a request for a ride.

And now a July 8 dispute between two Kane County residents and campground owners along the Rock River near Dixon has turned into a lawsuit arguing libel, trespassing and interfering with business relations.

Ronald and Judith Lang, the owners of a private camping area called CampingIslands.com off the Rock River, are suing Veronica Flegenheimer and her boyfriend, Johnny Morales, for libel over disparaging social media posts and for trespassing, arguing they harassed guests on private property, according to Kane County court records.

The lawsuit, which was filed Friday, claims Morales and Flegenheimer were canoeing along the Rock River the afternoon of July 8 when they entered the campground.

CampingIslands.com covers four islands along the river and is private property. Campers must pay and make reservations and numerous "no trespassing" signs are posted and visible from the river, according to the lawsuit.

The suit says Flegenheimer put out a lawn chair and Morales went to the rental office and asked Judith Lang for a ride to his vehicle, which was at Castle Rock State Park. Lang declined, the lawsuit says, because a detour made it a 40-minute round trip, her husband just had a radiation treatment for terminal cancer and she needed to stay on the grounds.

The lawsuit says Morales began asking other campers for a ride and Lang told the two to leave and suggested they exit the river at John Deere Park, which is public property. The two left after about 45 minutes.

But later that day they posted disparaging comments on the campground's Facebook page.

Flegenheimer called the place an "absolute dump" that was populated by "shady people."

She said she and Morales were profiled, that she had injured her shoulder and was told she could stay but was later kicked out, according to the lawsuit.

A similar post was added on Google.

Efforts to reach Flegenheimer and Morales were not immediately successful; a message left with Linda Holzrichter, an attorney representing the Langs, was not returned.

The two sides are due in Kane County court on Oct. 11. The suit seeks damages in excess of $50,000 as well as attorney fees.