Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/05/04/man-arrested-on-felony-charges.html
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“Brandon’s intentional and reckless action could have caused the Ranger to strike his head on the dock as he was falling, and render himself unconscious in at least 3 feet of water where he could have drowned to death,” the [arrest] affidavit said.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Maybe if they’d just gotten wet they’d have settled for a smaller charge. But that’s why you don’t risk someone’s life for a prank.
Also, I’ve been to some crazy parties in my day, but even among the more… playful… folks I’ve hung out with, not telling someone to empty their pockets before pushing them in a pool is considered shitty and will probably earn you a beat down when they get out of the pool.
Unannounced pool shoves should be left in the dustbin of history like other shitty 80s comedy tropes.
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Yeah, that’s not just a boo boo.
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Minor quibble and IANAL, but I don’t think courts are supposed to do anything with imaginary crimes. It’s not murder or attempted murder. If we go down this rabbit hole the defendant could argue that he would have rescued the ranger if he didn’t seem to recover from the water. Since it’s all conjecture it could go around and around with no realistic resolution.
Because this is the internet, I must make it clear that I do think assaulting people is very wrong. I consider the defendant’s behavior to be malicious and worthy of some serious punishment. Pushing people, spitting on people, coughing on people, licking other people’s food, etc. It’s all highly antisocial behavior. It shows a profound lack of respect to the rights of other people. (also I don’t lose any sleep when drunk white guys serve a little time).
I hope this young man gets his attitude and life sorted out and stops being a burden on his community.
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That’s not how you “Keep Austin Wierd”!
JFC… Stay classy, Texas.
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I believe the complaint describes there being a group or crowd there listening to the ranger? I would love to hear the prosecution describe why they think nobody would have saved an unconsious, drowning ranger’s life. Anyway, hey I live in Austin.
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That wasn’t very chill.
Its not. Thus he was charged with, “felony charge of attempted assault on a public servant and for destroying a park service radio”. Both of which he is pretty clearly guilty of.
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sure. why even talk about hitting their head and drowning. I suppose to indicate that it was potentially dangerous? It seems a bit of a stretch to argue that the ranger could drown. I could fall of my bicycle because the county didn’t fill the pot holes, but I didn’t put that in an affidavit.
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I dunno… maybe to counter anyone who says “What’s the big deal, he just got wet.”
And while it seem unlikely, people do drown ALL THE TIME around other people in public pools and parks. You try to carry an unconscious full sized water-logged man out of 3 feet of water and get the water out of his lungs and restart his breathing before he dies. Unless you’re trained to do such things, it isn’t so simple. And - people die every year from one punch or one push or one fall and hitting their heads.
So while I’d agree it is the less likely outcome, it is a possible one.
If you were suing the city or complaining about lack of street maintenance, possible death or injury is definitely a reason I’d put down.
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That somebody will be his lawyer.
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Because that was a forseeable and not-altogether-unlikely outcome of this assault, and crimes that have serious potential consequences should be treated differently than crimes that don’t have serious potential consequences?
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I’d love to read more on that if you have a source.
They’re absolutely allowed to document that a serious injury occured.
If the person hadn’t been harmed, just property, they’d probably be less harsh.
They will not charge them with murder or attempted murder. But they can push for the high end of the possible sentence based on the documented facts. That’s how sentencing works.
I get that we all are not fans of the police here, but
- this is a park ranger
- even police don’t deserve to be randomly assaulted absent a clear and present danger
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Meanwhile, in New York City, a black man videos a cop and this shit happens:
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ruh roh raggy
where he could have drowned to death,” the [arrest] affidavit said.
And let’s face it, that is the worst kind of drowning.
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