The skinhead, identified as Daren C. Abbey (right), 28, formerly of Sacramento, Calif., is accused of verbally confronting and then assaulting Marlon L. Baker, a 46-year-old African American, inside a Bayview, Idaho, bar on July 3, authorities said Friday.
Not wanting a confrontation, Baker left the bar and walked toward a marina on Lake Pend Oreille about 9 p.m. Sunday to watch an Independence Day “boat parade” on the waterfront, said Kootenai County Sheriff’s Major Ben Wolfinger. “He didn’t want trouble, so he walked away,’’ Wolfinger said.
But the racist skinhead followed Baker out of the bar, confronting him again with racial slurs before finally pushing him with witnesses watching, the sheriff’s official said.
Fearing for his own safety at that point, Baker took one punch, striking the skinhead in the face and knocking him to the ground, unconscious, Wolfinger said. There were several witnesses who saw the incident and verified Baker’s version of events, according to reports by deputies.
Deputies and an ambulance responded.
When he regained consciousness, Abbey was arrested and booked into jail on charges of battery, a misdemeanor, and felony malicious harassment. Baker was not injured and not charged, Wolfinger said.
The sheriff’s official described Abbey as a “white supremacist” who has numerous tattoos, including at least three Nazi swastikas, and other racist symbols on his arms, neck and torso.
Abbey was treated for a possible broken nose after being booked into the Kootenai County Jail, where he remained on Friday, pending trial.
As he was being led away in handcuffs, Abbey apparently was finally able to see the backside of the T-shirt Baker was wearing. It said, “Spokane Boxing Club champion.”
Rick Welliver, the owner of Spokane Boxing, said to his knowledge Baker has never been a licensed, professional boxer, but may have had some informal boxing experience.
“I’m happy Marlon finally won a fight, but he’s not a boxer,” Welliver said when told about the incident.
