Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Tuesday, October 20, 2015
(BLOOMINGTON) - A 19-year-old Indiana University Student was arrested Saturday after he assaulted a Muslim woman in what police are saying was a racially motivated attack.
At approximately 7:35 p.m. officers were called to 340 South Walnut St. after a report of a man assaulting a woman at Sofra Cafe.
According to the Bloomington police, a 47-year-old Muslim woman was sitting at a table with her 9-year-old daughter when Triceten Bickford began shouting racial epithets - "white power" and "kill them all" at the woman.
According to the police, after verbally intimidating the woman, Bickford walked up to her, grabbed her by the neck, forcing her head toward the table. In grabbing her neck, Bickford restricted the woman's breathing as he attempted to remove her headscarf. A male passer-by and the woman's husband intervened. Both men were successful in pulling Bickford off of the female and restraining him on the sidewalk until police arrived.
The woman who suffered pain, refused medical treatment.
During the struggle, Bickford spit in the husband's and the male bystander's face, while continuing to make threats on their lives and the police.
After being handcuffed in placed in the police car, Bickford attempted to kick out the windows of the patrol car. Upon his arrival at Monroe County Jail at 7:54 p.m., Bickford bit an officer on the calf.
Bickford is facing charges of intimidation, public intoxication, two counts of misdemeanor battery, one felony level charge of battery, being a minor in possession or consumption of alcohol and strangulation.
According to the Monroe County Jail, Bickford's blood alcohol content was 0.195, and his bond was set at $2,000 surety, $500 cash.
According to Bickford's Facebook he is studying psychology and philosophy at IU.
Indiana is one of only a few states that is without statutory provisions to address hate crimes. Hate crime statutes set forth by individual states are typically an effort to enhance civil and criminal penalties related to the targeting of a victim based on race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.