"Felony Snowball Tossing Charges" lodged after students hit city plow, unmarked police car

[Amerigo Vespucci]

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0209101snow1.html

Felony Snowball Tossing Charges Lodged
Cops: Virginia college students pelted city plow, unmarked police car

FEBRUARY 9--Felony snowball throwing charges have been leveled against two Virginia college students for allegedly pelting a city plow and an undercover police car during Saturday's blizzard. Charles Gill and Ryan Knight, both 21, were nabbed by cops in Harrisonburg, where they attend James Madison University. According to police, the pair first targeted a city plow last Saturday afternoon. The driver responded by calling cops to report the frosty fusillade. When police responded to the scene in a bid to identify the assailants, their unmarked vehicle also came under an icy assault. Gill and Knight, a guard on JMU's basketball team, were then apprehended and booked into jail for throwing missiles at occupied vehicles, a felony. Gill (top) and Knight are pictured below in Rockingham County Sheriff's Office mug shots. If convicted of the felonious snowball tossing, the men each face between one and five years in prison, and a maximum $2,500 fine.

[enlightenment]

1. The stupid.

It BURNS.

[struggle4progress]

72. ... Police Department spokeswoman Mary-Hope Vass ... says any object thrown at a vehicle can result

in the felony charge ...
2 JMU students face felony over snowballs
AP
Published: February 9, 2010
http://www2.starexponent.com/cse/news/local/article/2_JMU_students_face_felony_over_snowballs/51948/

[ddeclue]

2. Lighten up Francis... it's a damned snow ball..

What are you in for?

I threw a snow ball at a snow plow.

:crazy:

[Tesha]

97. Well, I guess they'll spend the rest of their lives sittin' on the Group W bench. (NT)

[Xithras]

99. Actually, it wasn't a snowball. And it's understandable why they were arrested.

Contrary to the news reports, The Smoking Gun actually has the arrest records up. These guys had shovels and were catapulting shovelfuls of snow onto the windshields of passing vehicles. When the police showed up in an unmarked car, the two immediately started pelting that car as well (not knowing the occupants were cops) and started throwing snow inside the car when the police opened the doors to get out.

It sounds like a couple of drunk college kids making general jackasses of themselves. The felony is overkill, but a night in a holding cell as a warning was probably warranted.

[TorchTheWitch]

105. it was nowhere near a single snowball

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0209101snow4.html

/snip/
As the officers arrived on scene, the offenders threw shovels full of snow onto the windshield of the plow truck and at an unmarked HPD vehicle. As the officers were exiting their vehicle, the offenders also threw snow inside the police vehicle.

HPD and the City of Harrisonburg have received numerous calls regarding this incident. Please make note; this incident was more than a few snowballs thrown; it created a safety hazard for the drivers of both vehicles involved as well as adjacent vehicles.

[MadHound]

3. Oh geez,

These guys were simply having harmless winter fun. Unless they were packing these snowballs with rocks, or condensing them into ice balls, this is all so much bullshit. Ruin a couple of kids' lives for having snowball fun.

If I lived in the area I would organize a mass snowballing against every cop in the city.

[OregonBlue]

Or better yet against city hall!! Time for local leaders to reign in this kind of B.S.

[Dappleganger]

11. What BS?

Attacking city workers is totally ok with you? What did they do to provoke this honor??

[OregonBlue]

21. They threw SNOWBALLS at a snow plow and an unmarked cop car. Please, don't the police have better

things to do with their time? I consider this a total overreaction. They should have given them a good strong lecture and a warning, not arrested them.

[TorchTheWitch]

106. They threw SHOVELS FULL of snow on the WINDSHIELDS of MOVING vehicles

All these damn posts and nobody fucking READS!!!

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0209101snow4.html

/snip/
As the officers arrived on scene, the offenders threw shovels full of snow onto the windshield of the plow truck and at an unmarked HPD vehicle. As the officers were exiting their vehicle, the offenders also threw snow inside the police vehicle.

HPD and the City of Harrisonburg have received numerous calls regarding this incident. Please make note; this incident was more than a few snowballs thrown; it created a safety hazard for the drivers of both vehicles involved as well as adjacent vehicles.

[asdjrocky]

80. Attacking?

For crying out loud, lighten up.

[rd_kent]

100. ATTACKING!!! yeah, right, attacking.....

[Dappleganger]

7. Why?

Just because you'd like to act like a child??

Harassing city employees while their doing their fucking jobs should *never* be tolerated. That snow was very dense and hard as a rock, too. It could easily have damaged their city vehicles or the workers themselves.

[Dappleganger]

9. BTW, 21 is an adult and not a child. nt

But I guess you wouldn't know that.

[MadHound]

19. Geez, what, were you the victim of a snow ball attack at some point in your life

Lighten up. These guys weren't attacking a city employee, they weren't harassing a city employee, they were having fun. It's pretty common in winter, kids do it all the time. Who suffers from it? The car? No, because despite your assertions about "hard" snow, unless the snow is physically packed into an iceball, it does no damage. At worst it is a distraction.

Oh, and as far as calling them "kids", well yes, I recognize that these guys were twenty one. I'm old enough to offhandedly refer to them as kids. Anything else getting your knickers in a twist?

[Dappleganger]

32. Nope, just making note

of all ones who are anti-city workers. Those people work their asses off to clean the streets in cold and dangerous conditions and they don't deserve to be attacked or harassed by anyone. I guess you let your cop hatred get the better of you, right?

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Land Shark]

92. Cop hatred? Kids and I have snowball fights all the time. Do I hate my kids? n/t

[rd_kent]

102. First attacking, then harassing, now its "anti-city worker".

You are good for a laugh, thats for sure.

[RaleighNCDUer]

51. Working to get you 'curmudgeon' badge, are you?

Hey! You! Get off my lawn!

[thunder rising]

66. So you where there?

[farmout rightarm]

77. May I ask how you know the snow was "very dense and hard as a rock"?

?

[rd_kent]

101. Which is it, harassing or attacking? Make up your mind.

[virgogal]

13. Being pelted with snowballs can be quite distracting and could cause an accident.

It happens.

How mature of you to want to get even by taking it out on every cop in the city.

[Dappleganger]

16. There are very decent cops there, too.

Nothing like the lazy, POS cops here in Jacksonville.

[RaleighNCDUer]

54. Jacksonville. Now I get it.

You're just jealous cuz you never see any snow.

[MadHound]

23. I recognize that it can be distracting,

However it is but a distraction of a moment, you drive on and poof, magical distraction is gone:eyes:

As far as my maturity level goes, well I find it best to practice the absurd when the police start acting absurd. Rather than throwing these guys in jail and potentially ruining their college careers, the cop could have simply gotten out of his car, identified himself as a cop and ripped them a new one. I imagine that the kids would have shit their pants and not thrown anymore snowballs that day. Instead the cop got on a power trip and decided to ruin their lives, cost the taxpayer money and make a big deal out of it by arresting them. Overreaction.

[Dappleganger]

28. Maybe if they had not thrown another one at the cop car

they would have gotten out of it more lightly, but doing it again was just one time too many.

They knew what they were doing was wrong, these are not 14 yr. old kids. When an undercover gets out of his car in that area, you *know* it's a cop.

[MadHound]

35. Yeah, but d'uh, it was undercover cop car. How were they supposed to know it's a cop?

No, these aren't fourteen year old kids, they are young men having fun on a snowy day. They weren't hurting anybody, they couldn't hurt anybody. A strong lecture would have sufficed, but the cop had to be an ass and get all law and order on them. This could potentially ruin their lives.

And you know what it says about those who support asshole cops doing this sort of zero tolerance bullshit? Yeah, that's right.

[Dappleganger]

39. If you want to call me a name

please don't beat around the bush. At least have the guts to own it outright.

I'm not the only one in this thread who sees it this way.

[MadHound]

42. Oh, so now you are presuming to try and control what I say also

You know, I'm currently working on a historical study of fascism in the US. Thanks for the pointers.

Oh, and lots of people supported Bush as well, doesn't make them right now does it?

[thunder rising]

67. Fictitious scenario #14 ... we just make 'em to suit our arguement.

[JoeyT]

103. So your argument is

that not showing proper deference to police warrants ruining someone's life.

No, that's not authoritarian. Not even a little bit.

[KittyWampus]

29. I had a snowball on my windshield not long ago. Scared the ever-living stuffing out of me

and I almost swerved into the next lane thinking something was coming at me from the side.

Throwing snowballs at moving cars= potential disaster.

[Dappleganger]

34. But many here seem to think it's all just fun and games...

until someone they know is in that accident. Only THEN will they think it's not ok.

Peace ya'll, I've said my thing in this thread.

[MadHound]

38. I've been tagged several times, and while yes, it can be momentarily distracting

It isn't lethal.

This is simply overkill on the cop's part. Deliver a lecture and move on.

[farmout rightarm]

89. Indeed, no snowplow driver ever sees flying snow.

:silly:

[Cronus Protagonist]

91. +1000

I would think a few snowballs would be the LEAST of any worries a SNOWPLOUGH would have. I mean, how can it plough tons of snow when these quarter pound snowballs are holding it back?

[Gormy Cuss]

107. Twenty-one and throwing snowballs at vehicles=need a stern talking to

and a charge of misdemeanor stupidity, if there were such a charge. They're old enough to know better than to throw snowballs at people or vehicles occupied by people. As kids we would have been sent to juvenile court if we had done that.

[Dappleganger]

4. Ok, I lived in Rockingham county for 9 years...

know that area VERY well. The cops are typcially pretty decent but JMU students are known for pushing the limits and get by with a LOT.

City employees should be able to do their jobs without being harassed. Sounds like the employee did the right thing by calling the cop, who also appeared to respond (he wasn't out 'looking for a snowball fight'). My guess is that they'll end up w/time served and a small fine if nothing else is on their record.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

12. Hopefully they are completely aquitted of any felonies.

Felony = losing civil rights and pretty much never getting a real career.
I can't imagine two inexperienced workers with felony records EVER getting hired in this economy.

[Dappleganger]

15. Well that was their choice, wasn't it.

BTW, they're 21 years old and not little kids. They KNOW better.
Actions have consequences. If someone had been really hurt you'd be crying to throw their asses in jail for a long time.

[Chulanowa]

73. But that's an important distinction

No one WAS hurt. No damage was done.

While I agree that chucking snowballs at traffic on the road is fucking stupid, I can't for a moment agree with FELONY charges. Public misconduct, sure, a fine, no problem, but motherfucking felony? Hell no.

[hlthe2b]

20. I think I would hate to be your neighbor...

I'm guessing with your level of expressed seeming intolerance, no one would be safe from your disdain-- who could possibly live up to your expectations, especially children, young people, pets...? Does that about cover it?

Geez... there are crimes and there are stunts. The latter need to be reigned in with a common sense approach, the former with the judicial system.

[Dappleganger]

That's fine with me.

I'd rather not be neighbors with people who think it's perfectly OK to assault city workers and cops for no fucking reason at all, or that 21 year old men are children and should be allowed to do whatever they want.

Welcome to the iggy.

[hlthe2b]

25. And the rest of DU cringes at your concluding a snowball is felony assault

Good God...

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sandnsea]

5. My son had this happen

He was 14 and an errant snowball hit an old grouch's window. He and his friends had to go down to the police station to have a discussion about snowball responsibility. :crazy:

[thunder rising]

6. throwing missiles? Is the law really that badly worded? Missiles are not thrown

I know it's just from wiki but:
A missile is a self-propelled projectile used as a weapon. Missiles are typically propelled by rockets or jet engines.

[virgogal]

30. For God's sake,Wiki? My good old American Heritage dictionary

defines a missile as "any object or weapon that is fired,thrown,dropped,or otherwise projected at a target".

Snowballs seem to fall into that category.

[virgogal]

47. Uummm---see Post # 30.

[notadmblnd]

8. who knew snowballs doubled as missiles?

I guess these young men are lucky they werne't charged with terrorism:shrug:

[Dappleganger]

10. When they're hard-packed with ice they can do some damage.

I'm on the city worker's side on this issue. It's not anything like the off-duty officer waving his gun up in DC when there was a mutual snowball fight going on which he drove through in his hummer.

[OregonBlue]

17. I looked this up and nowhere could I find that they were packed with ice. This is just stupid.

[Dappleganger]

18. I know firsthand that the snow which just fell

was very dense and packed with ice in that area. My best friend lives just 10 minutes down the road from there and we just discussed this earlier today. Her husband drives through it every day on his way to RMH.

[OregonBlue]

22. So a snowball at a snowplow is now a missile? I'm surprised they weren't charged with terrorism.

this is nanny state run wild. Two kids will have felonies on their records for throwing snowballs? that's okay with you?

[Dappleganger]

24. Obviously you've never been hit with a dense snowballs.

They'll give you a shiner.

Please, I can't believe that people here are supporting 21 yr. old men who were assaulting a city worker doing his job and a cop who was responding to a call for help.

[OregonBlue]

26. They threw them at vehicles. No one was hit with a snowball whether soft or hard. Get a clue.

[Political Heretic]

58. Throwing snow at cars (not people) simply isn't a felony.

And frankly, even if you threw snow, even hard snow, at people, it still isn't a felony.

We have more people wrapped up in some phase of the criminal justices system in our country than any other industrialized nation in the world - per capita.

Ridiculousness like this is part of the problem, not the solution.

Does that mean no action should be taken? Not necessarily. But a felony and wasting our money on putting these guys through the court system over it? No.

[hlthe2b]

68. "you know first-hand" from talking to your friend that lives there...

while you live in Florida? THAT is first hand knowledge? :crazy:

[farmout rightarm]

83. Wouldn't information from your best friend's husband be thirdhand?

Just looking for some precision...

[Occulus]

94. Newly-fallen snow is never, ever, ever "packed with ice"

I grew up in SW Michigan. You're lying.

[Political Heretic]

55. The city worker's aren't asking for kids to be charged with felonies for throwing snow.

Sorry.

[thunder rising]

69. Fictitious scenario #15 ... from nowhere in the state.

[aquart]

33. No, they're lucky they didn't put a city worker in the hospital.

WTF do they mean throwing snowballs at moving vehicles? Who taught them to behave that way? What mindless, witless losers. THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY?

They have the civic responsibility of dead gnats.

BTW, if you'd ever been attacked by a bunch of boys with snowballs you might not think "terrorism" was that far off a definition.

[hlthe2b]

40. I agree that throwing at moving vehciles is grossly irresponsible

and requires intervention. But, I think it could have been halted and dealt with by means other than felony assault charges... And, yes, it is not hard to imagine a bunch of snow-ball throwing guys getting dramatically out of hand and I can appreciate the risk it might impose on others. But, this is not a new phenomenon and it seems these incidents have been stopped in the past with stern lecture or at least a misdemeanor charge, if any were required.

FELONY charges? Really?

[notadmblnd]

45. I'm wondering why a snow plow is a sitting target?

Around here (I live in Michigan and we do get a fair amount of snow) the snow trucks drive down the road and back up, probably at around 35mph on side streets, they don't sit idle unless it's in the road commissions parking lot. So how did these boys get more than a couple off putting the driver in such fear that he had to call police?

[Political Heretic]

60. THANK YOU for demonstrating some common sense in this thread.

[Shell Beau]

70. Felony charges are harsh for sure.

What if they did cause damage though? What should the charges be?

[hlthe2b]

84. I think there are any number of misdemeanor charges

that could apply... Malcious mischief, misdeamenor vandalism.... as a start. All which could require compensation for damages or public service--let em pick up trash every weekend throughout the summer. But, a felony that would mark them for life? Good heavens

[Shell Beau]

86. I agree. I think the felony charge is over the top.

[notadmblnd]

43. I didn't see where the article said they were hard packed

did I miss it?

[notadmblnd]

48. Been in many a snowball fights in my lifetime

Never once do I recall running off crying because I was pelted with snowballs (I'm sure a couple of them were packed harder than they should have been.). Nope, I pretty much joined in the fun. BTW,Do you have any numbers in regards to the numbers of people suffering injuries from snowballs annually?

Are are the injuries serious or mostly hurt feelings?

[Political Heretic]

59. The hyperbole is strong in this one. "Snowballs is terrorism" - okay, sport.

:eyes:

[napi21]

14. Dear Lord! When did a snowball become a missile? That's really

a stretch! First I think they should just laugh it off, but if they can't o that, an unruly conduct chargeg or something that insignificant with a fine of $25.00 should be the max!

[LeftHander]

27. zero tolerance = zero justice = zero freedom

[Bo]

31. This USA has gone Stupid

I thank my Lucky stars I am not a kid these days. How more stupid can America get, oh wait, enough to vote for Palin.

[LiberalAndProud]

36. Bizarre that this would be considered a felony.

Our legal system is screwy and nonsensical. Throwing snowballs is a felony and starting illegal wars is :shrug:

We live in interesting times.

[TexasObserver]

44. Police who file such charges should be suspended without pay.

Police overcharging for offenses is becoming ridiculous. There is little to limit their excess unless they are held accountable by their departments.

[OregonBlue]

98. yes, my son was arrested a few times when he was younger. Even though the charges were always

dropped or reduced, the original charge stays on the record with a note that it was reduced. So even though a kid is proven not guilty or all charges are dropped because they were bogus to begin with, it still shows up on his record. Makes him look like he committed grossly criminal acts when he did not.

In the case of these two young men, even if the charges are dropped or reduced, it will still show up as felony assault on their records for the rest of their lives. Very bad system.

[Kitty Herder]

46. FELONY?!

That's utterly ridiculous. I don't even know what to say.

[hlthe2b]

49. Those that torture in our name? >>-nada... Throw a snow ball?

>> off to jail as a felon and throw away the key. What exactly is wrong with this picture? :mad:

[thunder rising]

71. B-I-N-G-O ...

[leftstreet]

75. +1

[fascisthunter]

82. ++++

[npk]

95. Everything and anything is a Felony these days.

Look at a cop the wrong way and that becomes resisting or obstruction. Pull your arm away from a cop and well now you got resisting with violence, that is another Felony. Basically anything you do can be trumped up to a felony in these Police States of America. Just relax and go with the flo. Face it everybody in this country will one day be charged with a felony. Just accept it and move on. You have no more rights. You only have the rights the police and the government tell you that you have. If they need to make it up as they go along they will. Don't fight it.

[RaleighNCDUer]

50. Snow plows have only two purposes. To clear the roads,

and to be a snowball target.

I don't get it.

[Shell Beau]

52. I thought this was going to be 12 years olds.

[RaleighNCDUer]

61. But the snow was only a couple hours old, and the snowball only

seconds old.

What's the age of the snowball thrower got to do with it? It's just a snowball.

[Shell Beau]

65. Just sounds like juvenile behavior is all.

I am all about snowball fights. I will still participate in them (if we ever had snow here in MS), but throwing at cars, etc., seems like it is coming from someone who has bad judgment like a child.

[DemoTex]

53. When I was about 14 I threw a snowball at a passing 18-wheeler and hit the trailer.

The driver pulled over and chased me on foot for almost two miles (mostly through brush, briars, and scrub pine) before giving it up. I felt like Kowalski (Barry Newman) in the 1971 movie "Vanishing Point."

I have never thrown another snowball since that day.

http://bp1.blogger.com/_BhId8VgzJ9Y/R1HSAnc0CoI/AAAAAAAAABk/iB7NuO26y3I/s1600-R/Changing+of+the+Guard+-+B.jpg

:scared:

[dysfunctional press]

56. serves the stupid morans right.

it's completely ignorant and dangerous to throw snowballs at moving cars. lock the pukes up- it'll teach THEM a lesson, as well as send a message to other would-be reprobates.

[Iggo]

57. It ain't the snow plow. It's the cop car.

Punish them!!!

[taught_me_patience]

62. What happened to just sending kids home

to have their parents discipline them? This is a bit of overreaction here.

[dysfunctional press]

64. maybe the fact that they aren't 'kids'...?

and now it's society's job to discipline them, as their parents obviously weren't up to the task when it could have made a difference.

[theHandpuppet]

79. Because they were 21 year old college men, not children?

Even though they were 21 year old men acting like brats.

[Lorien]

63. More American authoritarianism run wild, more back door slavery:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=432227&mesg_id=432227

That anyone here would think the response is justified is beyond insane.

[thunder rising]

74. Free Gill and Knight ... Free Gill and Knight! We need to setup a defense fund.

[Goldstein1984]

76. This is deadly serious, people!

We underestimate the threat that felony snowball tossing poses to the security of the Homeland at our own peril.

[farmout rightarm]

87. Not to mention the traumatized snowplow driver might go home and murder his family.

as a result of the felonius assault

:silly:

[newtothegame]

78. Sounds racist. n/t

[pleah]

81. Looks like there is one hell of a snowball fight going on here!

:rofl: :popcorn:

spelling

[lpbk2713]

85. I saw the mug shots.

A couple of real desperados.

:rofl: :rofl:

[farmout rightarm]

88. Look like Balmy and Clod

:rofl:

[proteus_lives]

90. The charges will probably be lowered.

But these two assholes need to taught a lesson.

[tabasco]

93. Welkkkome to the United States of Inkkkarceration!

More people in jail than any country IN HISTORY !

[Chef Eric]

96. Keeping these dangerous young men in prison will be a terrific way to spend our tax dollars. nt

It's a good thing our country is made of money!!

[JoeyT]

104. Felony charges for snow? Eesh.

You know what would be a fitting punishment for this horrible "crime"?
Making the punks shovel snow out of driveways for older people that can't shovel their own drive/walk for a few weeks. (Public service)
Can't have that, though. Gotta keep those authoritarian boots shiny. Felony charges for all, and they're lucky they didn't "resist".