King Police Respond to Assault Call

As per body cam video of the assault Mr. Hewett can be heard telling Mr. Shouse that he just hit him with his truck and Eric Pavlic (eye witness) can also be heard confirming that he, “saw it.” Mr. Shouse is seen leaving the scene of the assault which is also a motor vehicle accident and can be considered a Hit and Run. North Carolina state law requires the individual to stay at the scene of an accident, yet Mr. Shouse leave the scene. King Police Officer Dula responded to the 911 call arriving at the American Legion Post within minutes and backed up by Officer Hunter. Mr. Hewett explained what had happened and attempted to show Officer Dula the video on the camcorder but didn’t want to chance the erasure of the evidence and later provided the officer with a copy of the assault video. Officer Dula and Hunter took multiple statements from those present. Most of the statements come from Legion members who were there and of course their statements are one-sided to give the best possible light that Mr. Hewett was the instigator and caused the incident. However, when you read of their statements it is clear that Mr. Shouse was the individual who started yell and denigrate Mr. Hewett’s military service. If Mr. Shouse had said nothing and not willfully and wantonly run his truck into Mr. Hewett you would not be reading this now nor the aftermath of these events that have transpired over the several years.

Witness Statements

Here we will evaluate each of the witness statements and just what was really said in those statements. Many will make it this appear that Mr. Hewett was at fault yet some just arrived to see the assault and clearly make up what “they “ want to appear to be as fact. But in many of the statements, even from Legion members themselves, we can see that Ronald Shouse instigated the confrontation and then assaulted Mr. Hewett. Steven Hewett’s statement to the Police: Eric Pavlic (eye witness, standing with feet of Mr. Hewett): Mr. Pavlic is unknown to Mr. Hewett and only met him at the polling precinict. Mr. Pavlic can be heard in the video when Mr. Shouse hit Mr. Hewett with his truck say, “I saw it . . . I saw it” as well as later telling Mr. Hewett that he saw Mr. Shouse hit him with his truck. Ronald Champney (Post 290 Member): Mr. Champney’s statement sheds light into Ronald Shouse’s mental state at the time, “. . . had noticed a sign that read “Veterans against Trump.” We all stood around and Ron Shouse one of our members started out. We Stopped him and said that this was upsetting, it was to all of us. After a few words were exchanged nothing was going on until he the person with the sign started to exchange words with Mr. Shouse.” There are a several points that Champney brings up in his statement and that shows Mr. Shouse was upset with the political sign being held Mr. Hewett, but also to all those who were there standing with Mr. Shouse. Again, Mr. Hewett had ever right to be politicking for and against candidates that day. Let’s take note: 1) “Ron Shouse one of our members started out” - Apparently Mr. Shouse wanted to go and confront Mr. Hewett about his sign. 2) “We Stopped him” - So the other members who were there had to “Stop” Mr. Shouse from going and personally confronting Mr. Hewett about his political sign. 3) “said that this was upsetting” Mr. Shouse was emotionally upset with Mr. Hewett’s political sign. 4) “it was to all of us.” All the Legion Members gathered there were emotionally upset with Mr. Hewett’s political sign. 5) “words were exchanged . . . with Mr. Shouse.” Mr. Shouse engaged Mr. Hewett. It is evident by Mr. Champney’s statement that Mr. Shouse was upset with Mr. Hewett’s displaying a political sign he obviously didn’t agree with and that he started out towards Mr. Hewett to confront him in some way but had to be restrained in some manner by other Legion members! The other Legion Members were also emotionally upset with Mr. Hewett’s political signage as well. This will be apparent in a statement that Commander Holland will make later to the news media. Ronald Shouse (Post 290 Member) (the attacker): In Mr. Shouse’s statement to the police he tries to put himself in the best possible light blaming Mr. Hewett for the incident. Here he states, “. . . he kept trying to instigate a confrontation, he flipped up us the Bird several times . . .” Here Shouse confirms that words were exchanged, “Don’t remember exact words we used, but something like get the Hell out of here.” He further states, “As we were leaving he was standing in the middle of the street.” Clearly, Shouse is attempting to make it appear that it was Mr. Hewett who instigated the incident. We do know that the entire incident that Mr. Shouse instigated was on video and that all comments where recorded and can be heard. Please refer back to the “Assault Page” and review the video and clearly you can hear it was Shouse who started yelling at Mr. Hewett and even Mr. Hewett telling Shouse that he was crossing a line in his actions at a polling station. Darrell Adkins (Post 290 Member): Mr. Adkins is a member of Post 290 and a member of the Honor Guard. Mr. Adkins was standing in the group with Mr. Shouse and was seated in the passenger seat of the truck Mr. Shouse was driving. So Mr. Adkins had a front row seat as to what actions Mr. Shouse was taking that day. In Mr. Adkins statement he makes a few important notes, one being that, “a few word’s cross” and we can take this to mean that Mr. Shouse and Mr. Hewett were in some type of exchanging of words. Then he goes on to state, “. . . we the Legion started to leaf when Mr. Shouse drove toward the older man and stop in front of him . . .” It is important to note the Mr. Adkins stated, “when Mr. Shouse drove toward the older man [Hewett].” In another statement by Post Commander Don Holland he stated, “I noticed Ron [Shouse] was not behind me . . .” (If you watch the video of the assault is it clear that Mr. Hewett is [not] standing in the middle of the street but at the edge of the parking area) that Mr. Shouse was following behind Don Holland’s vehicle and by Mr. Adkins account, “Mr. Shouse drove toward the older man.” This would mean and as the video shows Mr. Shouse had to change his direction of this travel from following Commander Holland and change his direction of travel towards Mr. Hewett. Clearly you see Commander Holland drive by Mr. Hewett and he was not standing in the middle of the roadway. If Mr. Shouse had stayed behind Commander Holland and not changed his direction of travel he would have driven right by Mr. Hewett as well. Command Don Holland (Post 290 Member): statement by Post Commander Don Holland, “I was first in line and drove around the curve, I noticed Ron was not behind me so I stopped and waited on him.” Here we can read that Commander Holland was first in line of the vehicles and that Mr. Shouse was following behind him. It is also important to see what was [not] in Commander Holland’s statement that differs from Mr. Shouse’s statement and that’s Mr. Hewett was not in the middle of the street as claimed by Mr. Shouse and as per the video it is fact that Mr. Hewett was never standing in the middle of the street since vehicles can be seen passing in front of him including Commanders Holland’s vehicle. Again, if Mr. Shouse had stayed behind Mr. Holland then nothing would have happened. An important note that in days to come Commander Kilby makes a claim that Mr. Hewett was in the middle of the travel lane taking pictures of Commander Holland’s and other legion members license plates. How could this even be possible unless Mr. Hewett was the fictional character The Flash. He would require the speed of light to have run behind Commander Holland’s vehicle take video/pictures of the license plate and then run back in time so that Mr. Shouse could then run into him with this truck. It’s just amazing that Commander Kilby believes his version can to be true in any sense of the word! Commander Holland was interviewed by Amanda Dobson a reporter for The Stokes News about the incident. Commander Holland in his official capacity and representing the American Legion made the following comments, “Hewett’s sign and actions didn’t reflect the views of the legion.” Holland went on further to comment, “He has every right in the world to display what he wants, but in front of an American Legion building with a sign like “Veterans against Trump” doesn’t belong there.” Stokes Co. Democrat Party Chairman David Dalton expressed that, “Holland’s words express a gross, malignant, and intimidating misunderstanding of the Constitutional, legal, and political principles that govern American elections . . . no voter of any party should be required to enter such a hostile environment to exercise the right to vote or express completely reasonable political views with words or signs.” First let’s emphasize that the Stokes County Board of Elections had rented the main building as a polling station, use of the parking area in front of the building and this was an election location where all people had the right to be at politicking for and against candidates. There were many political signs at this location and Mr. Hewett was exercising his right of freedom of speech! This is exactly where the sign he was carrying belonged on election day regardless whether Commander Holland or other members of Post 290 who were present that day disagreed with it or not! Mr. Hewett was exercising his personal views and opinions of candidates in opposing Trump and promoting Clinton, he was not promoting Post 290 or the American Legion’s political position. In Commander Holland’s statement to the news media he was is giving an opinion that the American Legion was endorsing Trump for President, something that the American Legion can not do as per it’s a non-political non-partisan organization. For Commander Holland to make such a statement is a violation of the American Legion Constitution and By-Laws. We can certainly see by later actions of Commander Holland and other Legion members that they had it out for Mr. Hewett. Michael Lane: Works at Calvary Baptist Church in King and make reference that he witnessed Mr. Shouse hit Mr. Hewett with his truck stating, “the man in the truck did barely touch Mr. Hewett with is truck.” Again, we have another witness who confirms that Mr. Shouse did indeed assault Mr. Hewett. Jimmie Rosamond (Post 290 Member): Mr. Rosamond was not standing in the group of other Legion members but about twenty yards to the left of them under his porch. For some reason he thinks Mr. Hewett was speaking to him, which was not the case. Rosamond stated, “Huett gave all of us Vets the finger and said, “bring it on.” What is important to note is the Rosamond will change his statement multiple times to fit his narrative for the actions the Post members need to bring charges of “Disorderly Conduct” and to expelling Mr. Hewett from Post 290 and the American Legion. Phil Holt (Post 290 Member): Holt’s comments are nothing more than to make Mr. Hewett appear to be the one who started the incident and makes reference to his political signage, “Veterans Against Trump” with a “Hillary” sign attached.” Dwayne Bryant: Bryant’s comments that, “I saw the gentleman who claims to have been hit, . . . a car, and actually got close to the man, but it didn’t look like he was hit to me, . . .” Bryant later interviewed on video by the police changed his story to that if Mr. Hewett was hit it was light. So he contradicts himself, he doesn’t even know for sure, “it didn’t look like” and then later “if Mr. Hewett was hit it was light.” Gary Thomas (Post 290 Member): Doesn’t really say anything other then, “gave us a middle finger on two occasions.” Darrell Calloway: Mr. Calloway is the leader of the local Stokes Co. Militia and has had a history with Mr. Hewett in lying about why Mr. Hewett brought the lawsuit against the City of King. Mr. Calloway went on national Fox radio and spread lies about Mr. Hewett as to some type of fight over a alleged illegal business that Mr. Hewett ran out of his home. This was all made up and contrived by Mr. Calloway to disparage Mr. Hewett in the community. Take note that Darrell is the son of Carl Calloway who is featured in this documentary as lying and making false documents for the American Legion to become Movant Intervener in the case hewett v city of king. So apparently the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, in fact, it falls right under the tree with both of them making up and lying about their knowledge of Mr. Hewett. You can read more about Darrell Calloway on this website under, Stokes County Militia. As for his statement, looking at both the videos from the body cam and the vehicle cam Calloway could not see the assault since Commander Holland’s vehicle was directly in front of Mr. Calloway blocking his view. Let’s say for arguments sake he could see the assault, he confirms that Mr. Shouse pulled up to confront Mr. Hewett, “One member pulled up in a truck to confront him about it . .” We can infer from his statement that Mr. Shouse was confronting Mr. Hewett about his political signage. It is acknowledge by Mr. Hewett that he did exchange words with Mr. Shouse after he started to harass him and disparage his military service, he has always acknowledged that he flipped Mr. Shouse off after Mr. Shouse started flipping off Mr. Hewett. It’s obvious from the statements by the American Legion members that they leave out any reference to Mr. Shouse or other members present flipping off Mr. Hewett even though the video shows him doing so. Even Commander Kilby confirms (which we will address this remark later) that several American Legion members who were there were flipping Mr. Hewett off as well.

The Police Report

King Police Dept. Officer Dula, OCA File No. 161108100201 You can read the report, however, we will make reference to several of the comments and observations made by Officer Dula. 1) Page 3 - “While watching the video, I observed Mr. Shouse rapidly accelerate through the public vehicular area of the American Legion with clear disregard for the safety of the pedestrians walking through the public vehicular area. I observed that Mr. Shouse appeared to stop within inches of Mr. Hewett. I also reviewed the video that was recording in Mr. Hewett’s truck and could partially observe the truck driven by Mr. Shouse speeding through the public vehicular area of the American Legion. 2) I advised Mr. Shouse that I would need to fingerprint and photograph him. Mr. Shouse cooperated fully during my interaction with him and was very apologetic, visibly shaken, and stated several times that he was sorry that it happened. 3) Page 4 - Mr. Shouse stated that he did not intend to strike Mr. Hewett or anyone else. As you can read in the report that Mr. Shouse denies his actions that day and members of the Legion try to paint Mr. Hewett as being the aggressor and instigator of the incident. However, the video clearly shows it was Mr. Shouse who started the incident and assaulted Mr. Hewett with no charges being issued by the police against Mr. Hewett.

The Arrest

November 8, 2016 Ronald Shouse was charged with - Assault with a Deadly Weapon & Careless and Reckless Driving. No Charges were filed against Mr. Hewett by the King Police Department. We also would like to point out that this is not Ronald Shouse’s first brush with the law. Shouse’s is a convicted sex offender who took indecent liberties with a minor. He served time and probation for this felony conviction. It’s appalling for someone who served in the Marines sworn to protect, defend and serve our nation who would take advantage of an innocent child for his sexual perversions and satisfactions.

American Legion Post 290 Members Retaliate

Even though the King Police Department did a thorough and meticulous investigation - conducting eyewitness interviews, complying witness statements and reviewing videos of the incident the American Legion members who were present took it upon themselves to bring charges against Mr. Hewett the following day for “Disorderly Conduct.” Mind you the King Police saw no reason what-so-ever to bring any charges against Mr. Hewett. That day Legion members spoke with Clif Kilby and this charge was then brought by the American Legion members was in retaliation for charges being brought against one of their own. There is speculation that the American Legion members consulted with one of their Auxiliary Members who happens to be an attorney and were advised to take out cross (counter) charges to make it appear Mr. Hewett was at fault and instigated the incident. They knew they had to take liability off of the American Legion and Post 290 for Mr. Shouse’s unlawful actions at the post that day. When you review the affidavits that these four signed each just copied the other. The only problem with these is that Mr. Hewett never said what they claim him to be saying. If you review the video it is Ronald Shouse who says, “come over here.” No where will you here Mr. Hewett say, “Y’all come on over here.” This is a fabrication and all out lie, since it was done under oath with the penalty of perjury these individuals by all appearances they did just that, perjured themselves!

The Outcome of the Hearings

Since American Legion Post 290 members presented false evidence to a magistrate to get the charge against Mr. Hewett he had to hire an attorney to represent him in court on November 30, 2016. The Legion members were at the court in uniform as representatives of the American Legion, not as individuals. An attorney who was later identified as Marylin Massey a Post 290 Auxiliary member as well as Commander Kilby somehow gained access to ADA Miller and what appears to be and attempt to interfere in the judicial proceedings of the court. Commander Kilby has stated he was allowed to look at Mr. Hewett’s evidence and he gave his opinion to ADA Miller concerning it. (We will address this in more detail at later date since there is currently an active lawsuit against Mr. Kilby) But by all appearances this appears to be an interference in a judicial proceedings by two American Legion members who were not part of the actual incident that day as well as Attorney Marylin Massey which has yet to be determined what her status was for being there as well and requesting to see the evidence that Mr. Hewett’s attorney had to present to the court. It was the State who was prosecuting Mr. Hewett as per the charges that the Legion Members brought against him. Both Kilby and Massey had no business requesting to see the evidence in the case. There will be much more written about this as more information comes to light. As for the charge against Mr. Hewett it were dismissed. With some type of back door dealing or interference with the judicial proceedings Mr. Shouse’s charges were also dismissed. It was ADA Tom Langan who dismissed Shoues’s charges which is interesting to say the least. Mr. Hewett was never notified of this action and didn’t find out until the day of court when he went to testify against Mr. Shouse. Come to find out ADA Langan was going to run for District Judge and what better way to get local political support from the American Legion than to dismiss charges against Mr. Shouse. An important note which was hand written by ADA Langan on the dismissal that was, “/No injuries to victim.” In order for there to be a victim there must be a crime and that crime as we know is what Mr. Shouse did to Mr. Hewett with his truck. This was without a doubt a miscarriage of justice by the District Attorney’s Office and ADA Langan. Btw, he won his election for District Court Judge, now we know the type of Judge we have on the bench. This case and events set in motion American Legion Post 290 making disparaging comments and vilifying Mr. Hewett by American Legion Post 290 members, bringing false and malicious accusations against him by Jimmie Rosamond and Commander Cliff Kilby as well as Post members in taking out their revenge for the removal of the Christian Flag and Kneeling Soldier Cross at the Veterans Memorial as well as railroading Mr. Hewett out of the Post and the American Legion. To this day no actions by the American Legion have been taken against Mr. Shouse, Don Holland, Jimmie Rosamond and they remains a member of Post 290 and the American Legion.