A Colorado state judge has refused to reduce the bond amount for a Marine veteran accused of assaulting a television reporter, demanding to know whether he was “even a U.S. citizen” and telling him, “This is Trump’s America now.”
Patrick Egan is charged with one count of second-degree assault with intent to cause bodily injury by strangulation, one count of felony committing a bias-motivated crime, and one count of misdemeanor ethnic intimidation for assaulting KKCO News reporter Ja’Ronn Alex, who is of Pacific Islander descent.
Thursday’s hearing
Judge Jennilynn Lawrence of the 21st Judicial District declined to lower Egan’s $20,000 bond on Thursday, telling him she was actually inclined to raise it due to the gravity of his alleged crime, according to Courthouse News.
“I was fully prepared to increase your bond today,” Lawrence allegedly told Egan during the hearing at the Mesa County Justice Center. “Certainly, I think when you are in your right mind, you would know these are not the types of behaviors we would expect of Marines, and similarly they are not the types of behaviors we can have in the community.”
Egan reportedly had several friends and family members attend the hearing to show their support for him.
His attorney, public defender Ruth Swift, told the court that he had been struggling with his mental health for more than a decade and assured Lawrence that he would get proper treatment.
According to Grand Junction NBC affiliate KKCO, Ben Wilson, one of Egan’s friends, stated in court that he drove more than 100 miles to be there for him.
“Patrick has been like a brother to me for the last five years,” Wilson reportedly stated. “When I found out what happened, that wasn’t Patrick. I’ve seen him get sick before; I’ve helped him in the past, and he’s helped me.
Prosecutors from the district attorney’s office reportedly opposed Egan’s request for a lower bond, citing the “very concerning” allegations and the victim’s objection to any bond modification.
While maintaining Egan’s bond, Lawrence also ordered that if he is released, he be prohibited from possessing firearms and must remain at least 1,000 feet away from Alex.
Lawrence pointed out that the 1,000-foot restriction includes areas where Alex could be working.
“If you are in a place and you see reporters,” said the judge, “you should probably remove yourself.”
The alleged crime
On December 18, Egan was driving a taxi for a local company called Sunshine Rides when he allegedly tracked and followed Alex for approximately 40 miles to the NBC-ABC news station where he works as a multimedia journalist.
According to a press release, police say Egan “tackled and choked” Alex before several of his coworkers intervened to restrain Egan and assist the reporter.
Alex reportedly told police he believed he was assaulted because of his race, Pacific Islander.
Alex told investigators he was out reporting before returning to the news station. He claimed that Egan began chasing him as soon as he exited his vehicle.
He demanded Alex’s identification and allegedly began choking him in an attack captured on surveillance footage.
“[Alex] explained that the driver, later identified as [Egan], had begun to shout at him, saying something along the lines of, ‘Are you even a US citizen?
This is Trump’s America today! “I’m a Marine, and I took an oath to protect this country from people like you!” the probable cause affidavit reads.
Alex’s KKCO bio describes him as a native of Detroit, Michigan, and a 2023 Clemson University graduate who has lived in “various locations across the Eastern and Southern regions of the United States.”
Egan is scheduled to appear in court again on January 16.
