The Newport Police Department on Wednesday, June 3rd, arrested 50-year-old Don Wallace for driving through a crowd of peaceful protesters in Newport Beach, California. The police said that the suspect’s vehicle grazed several people, but no one suffered an injury.
The incident happened on Balboa Boulevard near 7th Street in the afternoon. The accident report showed that the suspect was driving a white Mini Cooper with Arizona license plates. Officers with the NBPD apprehended Wallace a short while after and found the vehicle with a damaged windshield.
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The lawmen took the suspect into custody, and he allegedly told the police that the protesters were hitting his car and assaulting him. An eyewitness contradicted the man’s story saying Wallace intentionally increased his speed while driving through the crowd.
Another male witness claimed that he threw his bicycle in the Mini Cooper’s path to prevent the suspect from hitting him. The NBPD spokeswoman said they are charging the man with assault with a deadly weapon, but did not release any additional information.
Under the California Penal Code, an assault with a deadly weapon is an unlawful attempt coupled with a present ability to commit a violent injury on the person of another. Prosecutors must prove that the offender used a deadly weapon or force likely to cause severe bodily harm.
A convicted person faces up to four years in county jail and a fine of $10 000 if it’s a felony, and a year in jail with $1000 for a misdemeanor. Anyone charged with this offense should hire a top accident lawyer to represent his or her interest.
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