Sturgis bar reacts to shooting; suspects charged
By Ryan Woodard
Journal staff Wednesday, September 03, 2008


The Loud American Roadhouse in Sturgis has adopted a “no colors” policy in reaction to an early-morning Aug. 9 shooting that has resulted in criminal charges against six men.

The new policy means that biker groups will not be able to wear clothing that distinguishes their various affiliations.

Dean Kinney, one of the bar’s owners, said the policy, which was considered for a few years, was pushed into action after the shooting of a Hells Angels member during a fight that involved members of the Iron Pigs motorcycle club. The bar wants to show customers that it takes the incident seriously and doesn’t want any more trouble.

“We’re committed to making sure our customers are safe and feel safe in the Loud American Roadhouse,” he said.

Kinney’s comments came on Thursday, the day after a Meade County grand jury called for the arrests of the shooting victim, four off-duty law enforcement officers and another biker.

No court dates have been set in the case. Arrest warrants and court summons for the defendants will be “issued and served, as appropriate,” according to a news release.

Meade County Clerk of Courts Lane Keil said no warrants or summonses would be issued Thursday because there were no judges on duty to sign the orders.

The grand jury heard testimony from 25 witnesses on Aug. 10, and from another 10 witnesses on Wednesday.

After considering the evidence, a Meade County grand jury found probable cause for criminal charges and indicted:

*Ronald Smith, 43, an off-duty Seattle Police Department detective, for aggravated assault, perjury and carrying a concealed pistol without a permit. He faces up to 15 years in prison for assault and five years for perjury. He also faces alternative charges of simple assault and failure to abide by a permit of a reciprocal state.

*Joseph Patrick McGuire, 33, Imperial Beach, Calif., for aggravated assault and an alternative count of simple assault. The Hells Angels member faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of aggravated assault, or up to one year in jail on the alternative charge.

*Scott Lazalde, 38, Bellingham, Wash.; Dennis McCoy, 58, Seattle; Erik Pingel, 35, Aurora, Colo.; and James Rector, 37, Ferndale, Wash., each for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit or an alternative charge of failing to abide by a permit of a reciprocal state. They can be convicted of just one of the charges.

Lazalde and Rector are members of the U.S. Customs and Border Inspection in Blaine, Wash. McCoy is a precinct patrol sergeant in Seattle. Pingel’s occupation and motorcycle club affiliation were not known.

Smith and the other men from Washington are reportedly members of the Iron Pigs, a group comprised of police officers and firefighters.

Smith has admitted to shooting McGuire but has maintained it was in self-defense as he was being hit and kicked during an altercation between the Hells Angels and Iron Pigs.

Smith testified before the grand jury the day after the fight. Officials did not provide details into the allegations of perjury.

The Seattle Police Department declined to comment on Smith’s indictment, other than to say that Smith and McCoy would remain on administrative leave until more information is released.

The two were placed on leave immediately after the incident, along with three other Seattle officers. The other officers at the rally had nothing to do with the shooting and were returned to duty, according to Seattle Police Department spokesman Jeffrey Kappel.

The Seattle Police Guild have defended Smith, who is a member of the union.

“We are certain that once all the facts are known, the involved SPOG (Seattle Police Officers Guild) members will be vindicated and absolved of any wrong-doing,” the guild said in a statement issued on the group’s Web site. “Until that occurs, we are heartened by the news that Detective Ron Smith is recovering from his serious injuries and that no other parties were injured except for Detective Smith and his alleged assailant.”

A guild spokeswoman declined to comment on Smith’s injuries referred to in the release.

McGuire, who was hospitalized after the shooting, is not listed in the directory at Rapid City Regional Hospital. A relative told Seattle media that he was moved from intensive care about a week after the shooting and was recovering from gunshot wounds to his stomach and leg.

Business has gone on pretty much as usual at the Loud American Roadhouse since the Aug. 9 shooting, Kinney said.

“People recognize that it’s an isolated incident and could have happened anywhere,” he said.

Kinney said other than the no-colors policy, the bar is not considering other security measures and has no plans to check customers for guns. A policy like that would be difficult to enforce, he said.

“Having said that, I think it was surprising to all of us that that organization, the Iron Pigs, was in our establishment with guns,” Kinney said. “We certainly don’t appreciate it.”

 

Shed's a little light on that situation. Thank you. Sounds like somebody wasn't supposed to be packin'.

 

well, when some that enforce the law start thinking they are above the law things will happen, and never for the good.

 

These are the dickwads out there protecting you and your family. Ya know the old saying..."you get what you pay for".

 

1. - Let's get that barn door locked up, the horse has already been stolen.

2. - Seems like a lot of people are feelin' that way.


................. Jim

 

wow.. not always .. but give a man a badge and a gun and a power trip can occur. Rumor has it that the officer had previoiusly had some run ins with the HA's and possibly had some issues with them in a court case.

 

The other threads stayed decent for what, 100+ posts? Nice to see the anti-police mentality is still alive and well.

 

i dont think there was anything slamming all police.....just that some things and people can be in the wrong no matter what their position in life

 

THIS is an anti-police mentality.

 

When there are police that continue to screw up, then it will always be that way. I've had to call the Dallas PD several times at night due to thier morons who drive worse than the public. I work at Love Field a lot at night and see them blow through lights and drive wreckless only to see them pull into a fast food joint down the road where 5 more PD cars are sitting for dinner. I had one fail to yield at a on ramp near the airport and come real close to smashing into my passenger door. I've lost count of how many times I've had to call and ask why thier people are speeding, changing lanes without signaling, running red lights etc. I call and ask if they are on a call and have a reason to run a light, or are they late for a snack? When they don't have thier lights on and do that crap, then it's prob bad cops and I will not hesitate to talk to thier boss.

I've also seen local sheriff idiots out drinking at the local bar and then calling in to get someone at the bar busted as they get up to leave. At yet, the sheriff guys are drinking and driving off duty. What a great example.

When I was 16 I had a local cop tell me how they would shoot us off our bikes if we ran from them. They were looking for my friend and pulled me over because all they knew was they wanted someone on a sportbike. This jerkoff flies up in front of my bike almost hitting me and then proceeds to threaten me. My parents had a good time with his boss. He came to my parents house to appoligize and my dad and I told him off. I came across him again when he was part of the sheriff dept a few years later. He made a smart a$$ coment about my buddies harley and I told him he was not needed and he could leave.

Thank all of your coworkers for helping set the example