Chapel Hill: Bicyclist attacked by truck driver with Axe.

Date of Incident:
Received: August 15, 2001

 
----------
From: james-AT-triangletrip.org (James Coley)
To: "The criticalmass mailing list" 
Subject: [criticalmass] Latest on the David Smith case.
Date: Wed, Aug 15, 2001, 2:28 PM
 
 
 
     Here is the text of last week's article about the David Smith case.
Over
the weekend I noticed a correction in the Herald which I believe said that,
in
order for this to stay off his record, Manring still has to pay restitution
and
make an apology to David. Would a light sentence like this have been given
out
if the assault had taken place on the sidewalk or under other such ordinary
circumstances, without the "provocation" of a bicyclist committing the
"affront" of actually *slowing down* (Horrors!!) an automobile? Funny,
that's
the same "affront" the Critical Mass tickets in '99 were first given for.
The
David Smith case and the Critical Mass are linked. It's all about automobile
dominance, and the idea that if you inconvenience people in their cars, you
are
being "uppity" and need to be put in your place.
 
> 
> Judge dismisses charge in attack on bicyclist
> DA didn't find an anger management class for hatchet-wielding driver, 
> who
> will pay restitution
> 
> By BETH VELLIQUETTE chh-AT-herald-sun.com; 732-6397
> Chapel Hill Herald 
> Friday, August 10, 2001
> Final Edition 
> Front Section 
> Page 1
> 
> 
> HILLSBOROUGH - A man who attacked a bicyclist with a hatchet in April
> returned to court Thursday and will have the charge against him 
> dismissed
> even though he did not enroll in anger management classes as ordered.
> 
> Marvin Glenn Manring, 33, of 3102 Trice-Atwater Road, Chapel Hill, 
> pleaded
> guilty last month to assault with a deadly weapon for running after a man 
> on
> a bicycle and hitting him with the blunt end of a hatchet.
> 
> Manring apparently was angry that the bicyclist slowed him down as he 
> was
> driving near the intersection of Orange Grove Road and Dodsons 
> Crossroads.
> As Manring drove past the bicyclist, he nearly clipped him with the mirror
> of his work truck. The bicyclist said he shook his fist at Manring.
> 
> Manring then pulled the truck over to the side of the road and chased the
> bicyclist with the hatchet, officials said. After Manring swung at him and
> hit him on the arm, the bicyclist crashed in a ditch.
> 
> During a hearing last month, Manring was ordered to enroll in an anger
> management program, but prosecutors couldn't find an appropriate class 
> for
> him because most anger management classes involve domestic 
> violence
> situations, Assistant District Attorney Beverly Scarlett said.
> 
> "He couldn't get one-on-one counseling without extraordinary fees," she
> said. 
> 
> When Manring returned to court Thursday, District Court Judge Joe 
> Buckner,
> with the victim's OK, ordered Manring to pay $762 in restitution for the
> victim's medical bills. Buckner also gave Manring a strict lecture.
> 
> "I said, 'Where are you from?' He said, 'Chatham County,' and I said, 'That
> disappoints me,'" said Buckner, who grew up in Chatham County.
> 
> Buckner lectured Manring on his responsibilities as a North Carolina
> resident and told him he had to learn patience.
> 
> The judge gave Manring a prayer for judgment continued, meaning the
> conviction will not appear on his record. 
>