ANTI-GAY ATTACK PROMPTS CHARGES / LJWorld.com

Archive for Saturday, October 23, 1999

October 23, 1999

An 18-year-old Tonganoxie man will appear in court on battery charges alleging that he and two friends shouted anti-gay epithets at a McLouth man, pursued him in a truck and punched him while he was calling 911.

Police gave the following account of the incident:

A 29-year-old McLouth man was parked Thursday night at Riverside Park north of Lawrence when a purple pickup truck pulled nearby. The three occupants of the pickup began yelling at the man, who drove away. The truck followed, and the man drove to the College Motel, 1703 W. Sixth, where he called 911 from a pay phone while still in his car. The driver of the truck then punched the McLouth man in the face. The victim hung up and drove to a nearby gasoline station and called police again.

Police stopped the pickup truck at 11:25 p.m. Thursday, almost an hour after the incident started, about a block from the Police Department. Lawrence police Sgt. Rick Nickell said police gave the Tonganoxie man a notice to appear in court Nov. 10 on a misdemeanor battery charge.

According to a police report, the incident is categorized as a hate crime. Although Kansas statutes don't address hate crimes, judges can take that motive into consideration when sentencing someone.

-- Chris Koger's phone message number is 832-7126. His e-mail address is ckoger@ljworld.com.