BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A 42-year-old man remains in custody pending being able to post a $500,000 bond while awaiting trial suspected of 2nd-degree assault and commission of a hate crime after hitting an 11-year-old boy who was on a field trip in downtown Bellingham.
According to affidavit of probable cause filed by prosecutors in Whatcom County Superior Court, the man, identified as Paul Bittner, had crossed Grand Avenue in the 300 block to join a group of students walking on the sidewalk back to their school about 1:30pm on Wednesday, June 12th. Witnesses reported that after walking a short distance with the group he stopped, turned and struck the victim in the face with a closed fist. He then pushed the victim “back with both hands before stating something to the effect of ‘are you gonna talk to a White man like that?'” Bittner is identified as White and the victim is identified as Black.
Bellingham Police Department officers responded to reports of the assault and located Bittner nearby in the 200 block of Prospect Street.
While in being detained in the back of a BPD vehicle, Bittner is reported to have used racial epithets while making references to assaulting African Americans.
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Bittner now faces felony charges of commission of a hate crime and 2nd-degree assault of a child.
During a preliminary appearance on June 13th, prosecutors requested bail be set at $1 million while defense requested Bittner be released on his own recognizance. The court set bail at $500,000. Prosecutors again requested bail be set at $1 million after Bittner declined to sign a no contact order. The court kept bail at $500,000.
As of June 22nd, Bittner remains in custody in the Whatcom County Jail.
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Woe to you, Mr. Bitner!
… Matthew 18:6,( where Jesus warns those who do not care for those who are vulnerable:) “anyone who causes these little ones to stumble, it would be better to have a millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
The ONLY question I have is…. WHY isn’t he charged with assault on a child??? clearly they stated the boy as 11 years old… that’s a child in my eyes……