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Former state rep attacks man who defeated him


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Former House member charged with assaulting man who defeated him

 

Witness says Rick Green hit Rep. Patrick Rose at Dripping Springs polling place; Rose says punch missed

 

By Laura Heinauer

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

 

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

 

A former state representative from Dripping Springs has been accused of assaulting the man who defeated him four years ago.

 

A witness said Rick Green shoved and then punched state Rep. Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs, while both stood outside a polling place this morning at Sunset Canyon Baptist Church east of Dripping Springs.

 

Rose, who is running for re-election today, said Green shoved him, but didn't land the punch.

 

"Rick lost his temper," he said. "It's unfortunate that something like this happened on election day."

 

Green turned himself in this afternoon at the Hays County Sheriff's office and was charged with assault with bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor that carries a maximum punishment of one year in jail and a $4,000 fine, Lt. Leroy Opiela said.

 

Opiela said both men received minor injuries.

 

Jackie Whalen, a witness to the incident, said she was standing in line to vote when she saw Rose and Green standing and talking between two vehicles. She said she saw Green push Rose against a sport-utility vehicle and then punch Rose in the face.

 

"Patrick Rose looked like he was trying to get away and then a bunch of men came over and pulled Rick Green off," Whalen said. "He continued trying to go after him and kept shouting 'You need to stop lying' and 'Let him defend himself, the big baby.' "

 

Rose said he was not hurt.

 

"Next time I see Rick, I'll remember to keep my left up," he said.

 

Green could not be reached for comment.

 

Hays County Sheriff's spokeswoman Pam Robinson said deputies responded to a call about a fight at about 11:30 a.m. She said Rose did not require medical treatment.

 

Rose, who lives in Dripping Springs, beat Green, who was then the incumbent, by 335 votes in 2002. He has won twice as a Democrat in a district drawn to favor a Republican, but just barely — squeaking by Green, then fending off Alan Askew by about 5,700 votes in 2004.

 

Rose's 2006 GOP challenger, Jim Neuhaus, said he was at the polling place this morning before the incident.

 

"My first reaction, if indeed it is an assault, that's pretty serious," Neuhaus said.

 

Hays County Election Administrator Joyce Cowan said the polling site has been busy and the incident doesn't appear to have affected voting.

 

"It's been a busy polling site all day," she said. "I don't think it did anything but give the people in line something to look at."

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It happened at a church nonetheless??!! That's the spirit of "brotherly love!" :w00t:

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