No Charges Filed For Fountain Councilman Accused Of Hitting Citizen

On Tuesday the Canon City District Attorney decided not to file criminal charges against a Fountain councilman accused of slugging a citizen. The decision comes the same day that the council voted on new restrictions for medical marijuana dispensaries, the issue that sparked the incident two weeks prior.

Al Lender claims he was assaulted by councilman Harold Thompson at the June 8 meeting.

“I said a few words to him, he lunged at me and hit me in the face three times,” said Lender, who wants to open a dispensary on his property.

He admits to yelling and cursing at Thompson and Councilwoman Lois Landgraf, angry after council took a preliminary vote to restrict pot shops.

Some who witnessed what happened said Thompson was out of line and should leave his post.

“I saw what happened,” said one man during the meeting’s public comment period. “I’m asking for your resignation, sir, as a citizen of this community.”

Fountain Mayor Jeri Howells publicly asked Thompson to apologize to citizens.

“We are better than this type of behavior, and our citizens deserve better from us,” said Howells.

She agrees that Thompson struck Lender after getting angry with what he had said.

“I looked at Mr. Thompson, he had a very frightening look on his face,” she recalled. “I was scared he would hurt himself, he was so angry.”

Canon City District Attorney Thom LeDoux told NEWSCHANNEL13 that there wasn’t enough evidence to file charges against Thompson. The cameras outside council chambers didn’t catch the fight.

“It’s impossible to determine what took place,” said LeDoux. “There are also competing accounts about what happened. Some say it was self-defense, others say it was assault.”

Witness Fritz Prater claims the latter.

“Mr. Thompson raised his arms to protect himself,” he said, while demonstrating. “Now that doesn’t look like I’m hitting anybody does it? Mr. Thompson did nothing wrong.”

Thompson told us he had no comment. Both he and Councilwoman Landgraf are now seeking restraining orders against Lender. There’s a hearing Wednesday morning, and the mayor and others have been subpoenaed to testify.

Lender said he plans to sue the Thompson for what he did, as well as the city for its new restrictions on marijuana dispensaries. Pot shops are not allowed to operate within 1,000 feet of a school or daycare and 500 feet from a park or church.