[nfbwatlk] Why do People Do these things? Beats Me

[Prows, Bennett (HHS/OCR)]

Sorry, below is an article from KOMOnews.com.

Blind man beaten after hitting car with walking cane
By Michelle Esteban<http://www.komonews.com/tv/people/149134955.html>Published: Jul 29, 2014 at 5:00 PM PDTLast Updated: Jul 29, 2014 at 6:07 PM PDT
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SEATTLE -- A legally blind man was beaten on a Rainier Valley sidewalk Friday afternoon after hitting a car with his walking cane.

"I touched their car, don't do that," said the victim, Dave.

Dave -- who doesn't want his last name used -- was walking on Rainier Avenue South Friday afternoon when he encountered a car blocking the sidewalk waiting to pull out into traffic.

Dave, who's been legally blind his whole life, said he hit the idling car's rim with his walking cane while making his way around the front of the car to get to continue on the sidewalk. He was headed to the Light Rail station after leaving his machinist job.

The Seattle police peport says Dave let the driver know he was in his way.

"The guy started yelling his head off right away, and I kept going, like, 'Yeah, you too, whatever,'" Dave said.

Dave kept walking and thought the situation was over.

"Basically the guy ran up from behind, jumped up on my back, pounded on my head a couple times with something," said Dave. "When I went down he hit me in the ear here where it's all bloody, then he kicked me in ribs a couple times."

His right ear is swollen, bruised and still bloodied. His ribs are still sore to the touch and he has some cuts and scrapes on his arms.

Dave never expected a beat down for something he considered "no big deal."

"It's a bumper, it's a wheel! Get a life," he said.

The machinist hopes someone with information saw the Friday afternoon attack in the 2500 block of Rainier Avenue South around 3 p.m.. It ended in front of the busy QFC grocery store, all over a blocked sidewalk.

"The sidewalk is a public right of way and the law says don't be there, yield the right of way to the pedestrian," said Dave.

Police are looking for the attacker, who was last seen driving a 2005 maroon Chrysler Sebring with large chrome wheels.

"I intend to keep walking down the street cause if you don't use your rights you loose your right," Dave said.

And if he gets attacked again, Dave says he'll come up swinging. The attacker is described as a black man who stands 6-feet tall and weighs about 250 pounds with a heavy build.

He was wearing a red shirt Friday and was with a woman wearing a long dress with black and white horizontal stripes. Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call the police.


/s/

Bennett Prows