Deschutes DA Hummel files charges in recent Bend protest rally confrontation

DA explains revisions from initial Bend Police charges in case

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel announced revised, formal charges Thursday in an alleged assault case stemming from a confrontation during a downtown Bend rally earlier this month.

Bend police had cited two men they described as La Pine residents on disorderly conduct and other charges after they said a Bend man taking part in a July 11 downtown protest exchanged words with a pickup truck passenger, chased after it on his bike and was struck by the passenger’s opening door, then assaulted and had a handgun pointed at him by the driver.

Hummel said the pickup driven by Robert Thompson, 50, who is actually from Show Lo, Arizona, drove past the rally at Northwest Wall Street and Greenwood Avenue and passenger Darrell Goddard, 37, of La Pine, “screamed a slur at rally attendees.”

One of the protest participants, Andrew Heller, 29, of Bend, rode his bike two blocks and caught up with the truck, then stopped at a traffic signal, Hummel said.

The DA said Heller stopped his bike on the pickup’s passenger side and asked Goddard “why he yelled what he yelled.”

Hummel said Goddard then jumped out of the truck and started punching Heller, who was then on the ground. Meanwhile, Thompson grabbed one of his handguns, jumped out of the truck, pointed the gun at Heller and threatened him, according to the prosecutor. They both then got in the truck and drove off.

Bend police responded and found the pickup at a Shell gas station on Third Street. Officers conducted a “high-risk felony stop,” meaning guns drawn, and found two guns in the truck. They investigated and issued citations to the two men, then released them.

Goddard initially was charged by police with fourth-degree assault, second-degree criminal mischief and second-degree disorderly conduct. Thompson was charged with second-degree disorderly conduct, menacing, reckless endangering and carrying a concealed weapon.

Hummel said Goddard is now formally charged with fourth-degree assault and second-degree criminal mischief, while Thompson is charged with unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm and menacing.

Both men are scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 8.

Hummel said in a statement, “People in Deschutes County are free to assemble and share their viewpoints on whatever they want others to hear.  It should go without saying that this is a hallmark of our country. 

"If people disagree with the viewpoints of others in our community, they should respond with their words, with their boycott, or with their vote," Hummel said. "If they respond with their guns and fists, I will respond with criminal charges.”     

In general, Hummel told NewsChannel 21, “My charging philosophy is to get to the nut of the matter, and not include extraneous charges” -- which he said he considered the disorderly conduct charges to be.

He said he added the unlawful use of a weapon charge against Thompson because he pointed the gun at the cyclist.

“I don’t give breaks in charging gun cases,” Hummel said. “I charged unlawful possession of the gun, as opposed to carrying a concealed weapon, because the unlawful possession charge is the appropriate charge when a gun is concealed in a car, as opposed to on a person.”