The nude suspect allegedly struck the victim in the head, torso and right leg with what was later determined to be a collapsible baton. The man was with his kids.
(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Police say a Vancouver, Washington man was arrested Friday on assault and menacing charges following an incident the day before at the Rooster Rock State Park. This is described as a "clothing optional beach".
The suspect allegedly struck a man several times with a collapsible police-type baton. The victim, who was accompanied by four children, was struck after landing an inflatable raft on Sand Island at the State Park.
Oregon State Police and deputies from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office were dispatched around 1:10 PM to a reported assault at Rooster Rock State Park involving a nude sunbather.
According to OSP Lieutenant Gregg Hastings, a trooper and two deputies arrived at the park and located the victim, a 45-year old southeast Portland man, who told officers he was on his inflatable raft with three girls and one boy, ages 7 – 10; when they landed at Sand Island which he thought was several hundred feet away from the clothing optional area at the park.
"Two small Chihuahua dogs ran from his raft onto the beach and continued about 100 yards toward the area of a nude male sunbather where the victim saw the man hitting the dogs with what appeared to be a stick," Hastings said.
"The nude suspect allegedly walked toward the victim and children then raised his arm up holding a can of mace. The victim backed up, causing him to trip and fall backwards, at which time the nude suspect struck the victim in the head, torso and right leg with what was later determined to be a collapsible baton."
Hastings says that after the assault, the suspect walked away and the victim obtained a physical description before leaving the area on the raft.
"The victim went to a doctor at a later time to be examined for obvious signs of bruising injuries."
Officers searched the park with State Parks personnel but were unable to find the suspect. Hastings says that during the early evening the victim spoke to the trooper on the phone and was able to provide a vehicle license number and description when he saw the suspect leave the park.
A follow up investigation identified the suspect as 74-year old Donald Joseph Kenney of Vancouver, Washington, according to Hastings.
"On July 25th Rooster Rock State Parks personnel were given the vehicle and suspect information. Ten minutes later, State Parks personnel confirmed the suspect's vehicle was parked at the east end parking lot."
The investigating trooper and deputy, accompanied by a park ranger, located Kenney and subsequently arrested him for Assault in the Second Degree and Menacing. Kenney was lodged at the Multnomah County Jail.
Hastings describes Assault in the Second Degree is a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine not exceeding $250,000. Menacing is a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year imprisonment and a fine not exceeding $6,250.
Police Arrest Nude Sunbather for Assaulting Man at Rooster RockSalem-News.com