Posted on 03/09/2011 10:48:36 AM PST by rawhide
A Decatur man accused of punching a 14-year-old girl in the face for running into his son on the slopes in Colorado has pleaded guilty to third-degree assault.
The Vail Daily reported Tuesday that the plea from 41-year-old Scott Filler, a renowned malaria expert, was for a misdemeanor stemming from the December incident at Beaver Creek Ski Resort.
Police reports say Filler thought the teen was skiing carelessly when she bumped into his 4-year-old son. Eagle County sheriff's deputies say that's when he jumped on the girl and hit her with his fist. The girl said she was swerving to avoid another skier.
District Attorney Mark Hurlbert says Filler was sentenced to anger management classes and restitution, the amount of which would be determined by the girl.
Prosecutors also sought community service, but Hurlbert says the judge fined Filler $500 instead.
Three witnesses told deputies they observed Filler punch girl between two and four times.
The ski instructor who pulled the Decatur man off the girl told deputies Filler punched her "at least four times, using a closed fist," sheriff's Lt. Mike McWilliam told the AJC. Two other witnesses said they observed Filler yell at the girl before landing two or three punches, the sheriff's office spokesman said.
Filler, charged with misdemeanor child abuse, told deputies he thought the girl was skiing carelessly and had seriously injured his son. The boy was not hurt, however, and Filler apologized. The girl was treated for minor injuries at a local medical center.
Her father requested charges be filed against Filler, who was banned for life from Vail's six ski resorts.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
You haven’t really experienced skiing until you’ve skied Bears Town, South Korea. I like to refer to it as “bumper car skiing.” Koreans that have never been on skis in their life go to the top of the mountain and commence to come down the hill with no idea of how to stop, turn, or avoid collisions. They do not use any peripheral vision, it’s more like tunnel vision. You spend most of your day avoiding a serious crash, skiing around clothing, poles, skiis, ipods, teeth, hair, and blood scattered all over the mountain. The most annoying thing is when you are waiting in the chairlift line and they stand right behind you, yep, right on top of your skis, no courtesy what so ever.
Sure, maybe. And maybe exactly the opposite. So why should the OP call for prison for this man.
I remember the original story, and the girl seemed like a lout.
You must be a very blissful person.
well, if we want to play make believe, maybe the girl was lying and showed no concern for hitting the little boy?
Just for the record, I don't.
If this guy connected even one of those punches, he deserves prison time.
Then she was skiing too fast. There's no excuse for running into a child on the bunny slope.
But we can certainly see excuses aplenty for the adult here hitting a 14 year old girl in the face with his fist, can't we. /s
Get real.
“no courtesy what so ever”
I have found that Chinese (presumably the same with Koreans) have courtesy for one another, but none for Westerners. Have you noticed that?
Personally, being in the US college system, which should probably be called the Chinese education system, I am astonished by the lack of manners of the Han people towards Westerners.
Uh, no. What site do you think you’re on, anyway?
Good.
Sad to say I have many friends who believe that their children are made of glass and would have overreacted to the situation.
The boy gets bumped hard and knocked over. The immediate assumption is he is hurt, maybe because he screamed or cried when he hit the snow.
While serious injury can occur from a simple fall or bump, that is not generally the case. Rule to follow: kids bounce. Just like most of us growing up, they can take some pretty tough blows and pretty hard falls and keep going.
I feel bad for this girl, but I also feel bad for this 4 year old who is being raised by someone who is so overprotective.
Amen to that! He better get on his hands and knees and thank God that wasn’t my daughter he hit.
Those guys wouldn’t punch a girl in the face. I think Darla could take them, anyway.
Wow...this is aggravated assault on a minor....a GIRL...BY A GROWN MAN.
Around me this is a shooting offense...
So you must see grown men beating up teenage girls constantly?
Yeah, that’ll work. I’ve seen two year olds on skis. I’ve skied a bunch of times with my five year old. Any public ski area will put you in close proximity to hundreds of other skiers. Beginner’s slopes are often at the end of more advanced runs.
So kids shouldn’t ski? Ridiculous.
Let me guess, before I even read the comments.
It was her fault. She must have mouthed back or something to deserve it......
Going to read the comments now.
he is not a sissy. he is a “newish” father who has perhaps experienced one of the first threats against his child. his reactions are uncalibrated still. he was being protective. if you have never experienced such a reaction, then you do not understand the power behind it. it is similar to the stories of people single handedly lifting cars off of the ground to save their child. My guess is that the girl said or did something to set him off after the initial collision.
“My guess is that the girl said or did something to set him off after the initial collision.”
Then again, maybe the child was asking to be run over. Maybe the man wanted his child to be run over so he would have an excuse to punch a girl.
It makes as much sense as your assessment.
Where does it say this happened on a bunny slope?
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