DENVER (AP) – A Colorado man is facing a bias charge for allegedly attacking a television news reporter after he called for citizenship, saying “this is Trump’s America now,” according to court documents.
Patrick Thomas Egan, 39, was arrested on December 18 in Grand Junction, Colorado. Police said he followed KKCO/KJCT reporter Jaron Alex’s vehicle about 40 miles (64 kilometers) away in the Delta region. Alex told police he believed he had been followed and attacked because he was a Pacific Islander.
After arriving in Grand Junction, Egan, who was driving a taxi, pulled up next to Alex at a stoplight and said the following, according to the arrest affidavit: “Are you an American citizen? This is Trump’s America now! “I’m a Marine and I’m sworn to protect this country from people like you!”
Alex, who had been out reporting, drove back to his news station in the city. After getting out of the car, Egan chased Alex towards the station gates and demanded to see his identification, according to documents giving police evidence about the incident. Egan then lunged at Alex, put him in a headlock and “began strangling him,” the affidavit said. Colleagues and witnesses who rushed to help told police that Alex appeared to lose the ability to breathe during the attack, according to the documents. The scene was partially captured on surveillance video.
According to the station’s website, Alex is from Detroit. KKCO/KJCT reported that he was driving a news vehicle at the time.
Egan was arrested on charges of bias crime, second-degree assault and harassment. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday to find out whether prosecutors have filed formal charges against him.
Egan’s attorney, Ruth Swift, was out of the office Friday and did not return a phone message seeking comment.
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Stacey Stewart, KKCO/KJCT vice president and general manager, said she could not comment beyond what the station reported about the attack.
