JONESBORO, Ga. — A white man accused of beating a black female Army reservist while yelling racial slurs at her outside a suburban Atlanta restaurant was indicted Wednesday on felony charges.
Troy Dale West Jr., 47, of Poulan, Ga., faces one count each of aggravated assault, false imprisonment and first- degree cruelty to children under the indictment filed in Clayton County Superior Court. He also faces two counts each of battery and disorderly conduct, which are misdemeanors.
West’s lawyer, Larry King, declined to comment.
Police allege that West screamed racial slurs as he kicked and punched Tashaw nea Hill, in the presence of Hill’s 7-year-old daughter, on Sept. 9 outside a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Morrow, about 15 miles south of Atlanta.
Police have said West became enraged when Hill told him to be careful after he nearly hit her daughter while opening a door. The cruelty-to-children charge was included because the daughter witnessed the beating.
West told police he became upset because Hill spit on him after accusing him of trying to hit her daughter, according to the police report. Several witnesses said they never saw Hill spit on West.
Federal authorities have said they were investigating the incident as a hate crime. An FBI spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment Wednesday.
Cracker Barrel issued a statement last week condemning the incident and banning West from ever visiting any of its establishments again.
