Man accused of beating potential business partner with pipe after calling him a white supremacist
A 51-year-old Ann Arbor man told police his potential business partner assaulted him as they walked together discussing their possible venture in the 300 block of Maynard Street Saturday morning.
The 51-year-old told police he and the other man, whom he said was in his 30s, were having a conversation about starting a lawn care company as they walked down the street at 11:25 a.m.
"The suspect then called the man a white supremacist, pounded him with a closed fist, then took a pipe and hit him twice," Ann Arbor police Lt. Renee Bush said.
The suspect then fled. Huron Valley Ambulance was dispatched to the scene and treated the man, who had a lump on his forehead, police said.
The suspect is described as a 5-foot-8-inch, 160-pound white male with brown eyes and brown hair.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
DJBudSonic
Tue, Oct 9, 2012 : 11:54 a.m.
Who carries a piece of pipe around??? That was his first clue something was not right.
RJA
Tue, Oct 9, 2012 : 2:56 a.m.
Don't you just hate it when this happens?
Chase Ingersoll
Tue, Oct 9, 2012 : 1:18 a.m.
Sometimes injuries demand an explanation and the injured is less than accurate.
Ron Granger
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 11:58 p.m.
Is attacking someone because you think they are a white supremacist a hate crime?
Superior Twp voter
Tue, Oct 9, 2012 : 1:42 a.m.
No, never will be.
Top Cat
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 11:23 p.m.
Reminds me of Laurel and Hardy in "Towed in a Hole."
jcj
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 11:20 p.m.
I doubt anyone here really believes it was a lawn care company they were discussing!
Dennis
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 9:50 p.m.
How does one not know the name of the person they were thinking about starting a business with?
snapshot
Tue, Oct 9, 2012 : 1:56 a.m.
I was wondering the same thing....I thought I missed something.
Lovaduck
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 9:36 p.m.
What a strange story! Couldn't we have waited until more "facts" were in? As it is, it sounds like a Kafka short story!
Ron Granger
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 9:05 p.m.
Ann Arbor has a secretive process whereby potential new business ventures are extensively vetted. Sometimes it goes too far.
Eep
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 8:31 p.m.
Maybe this was more of a "grass" or "weed" care business than a "lawn" care business.
Billy Bob Schwartz
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 8:29 p.m.
This is a bad time for 51-year-olds! First a 51-year-old man accuses his 51-year-old wife of hitting him in the head with a frying pan, and now a 51-year-old man accuses his business partner of hitting him with his pipe (or a pipe). What's going on with these 51-year-olds??
OLDTIMER3
Tue, Oct 9, 2012 : 12:52 p.m.
Maybe they needed an attitude adjustment.
Jonathan Blutarsky
Tue, Oct 9, 2012 : 2:17 a.m.
Maybe its the same guy and he had a really bad day(!)
GoNavy
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 8:27 p.m.
Way more questions than answers. Question #1: An ambulance was dispatched to treat a bump on the man's head. Really? Was the man in need of an ambulance? For the bump? Question #2: This happened in broad daylight. Approximately in front of an AAPD satellite office. How exactly does one "flee" from downtown Ann Arbor in the middle of the day without being caught by the AAPD? Where were the bystanders, the witnesses (there must have been at least a dozen), etc? Question #3: Is the victim in fact a white supremacist?
MIKE
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 11:32 p.m.
How is question 3 relevant?
nickcarraweigh
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 8:22 p.m.
The victim doesn't know how lucky he truly was. If he'd said "Niagara Falls" instead of "lawn care" they might still be searching for some of his parts.
tom swift jr.
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 10:41 p.m.
I saw nothing about anyone turning slowly.
Jonathan Blutarsky
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 9:33 p.m.
Yes - the joke needs to be told step by step...
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 9:23 p.m.
;) that one could be lost on some of the younger folks.
Tru2Blu76
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 7:50 p.m.
Yet another indication that replacing thought with emotion is... of questionable value.
Mike Caruso
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 6:59 p.m.
Right outside of the AAPD Outpost @ the Maynard Garage. I have no faith in humanity.
Angry Moderate
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 7:47 p.m.
There is a YouTube video out there of a large fight involving about a dozen people inside that garage. Shameful.
glimmertwin
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 6:55 p.m.
Sounds like there must have been difference of opinions while reviewing their business plan.
HONDO
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 6:39 p.m.
"The suspect is described as a 5-foot-8-inch, 160-pound white male with brown eyes and brown hair". Dont most people know the name of their business partner? just saying
Angry Moderate
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 7:47 p.m.
"the news cannot report the name of a suspect until it is verified." Of course it can. "The 51-year old man identified the other man as John Doe" would not be libel. The news names suspects all the time, such as when there is a missing persons report.
djacks24
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 7:07 p.m.
"the news cannot report the name of a suspect until it is verified." Sure, but still why is there a description as if he's at large. And if he is at large, wouldn't it make things easier to name the assailant?
Ghost of Tom Joad
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 7:01 p.m.
the news cannot report the name of a suspect until it is verified. Even then, it depends on the nature of the story. There is a fine line between news and libel in these situations.
Angry Moderate
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 6:53 p.m.
Maybe their "deal" wasn't really about a lawn care company.
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 6:10 p.m.
this is exactly why I mow my own lawn.... ;)
smokeblwr
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 6:07 p.m.
That is a strange turn of events. Was the victim possibly suggesting a citizenship test for potential employees?
genetracy
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 5:59 p.m.
Does calling a person a white supremacist during an assualt mitigate the assault?
DDOT1962
Tue, Oct 9, 2012 : 12:57 p.m.
Yes.
John of Saline
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 5:53 p.m.
Maybe it's just me, but I prefer business partners that don't beat me with pipes.
R.B.
Wed, Oct 10, 2012 : 2:40 a.m.
I second that my good man!
James
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 5:42 p.m.
"Pipe" is a bit vague. The culprit could be a plumber, Betrand Russell or Ian Anderson.
fishjamaica
Tue, Oct 9, 2012 : 4:44 p.m.
When pipes are outlawed, only outlaws (and plumbers(and frontmen for Jethro Tull)) will have pipes.
djacks24
Mon, Oct 8, 2012 : 7:05 p.m.
Maybe he beat him with his crack pipe?