In an incident that reverberated around the Kansas City bicycling community earlier this summer, a resident of the Longview Lake area, Johnny Bondon, was charged with attempting to assault a bicyclist. The incident happened after an argument that developed when Bondon passed two bicyclists in a way the bicyclists considered unsafe.
Now Bondon has been found guilty of attempted assault in Kansas City, Missouri, municipal court.
Mark Breeding attended the court proceedings and filed the following report:
Mr. Bondon was found guilty of attempted assault with the judge describing it as classic road rage. He escalated a minor exchange into a terrifying confrontation that required police involvement.
The penalties prescribed by the judge include: ninety day sentence with two days served in jail, two years probation and an anger management class. Mr. Bondon is presently free on bond.
Summary of the trial proceeding: Defense claims that the cyclists hit the Bondon Hummer with a water bottle and yelled profanities at him for turning in front of them.
Bicyclists Matt and Richard assert that they did nothing aggressive beyond the comment of "you couldn't wait ten seconds" before turning. From this the stories converge to the point of the Hummer being driven across the yard to intercept the riders and a confrontation taking place. Bondon claims no bumping of the cyclists or physical attack took place. Richard and Rachel made it clear they thought that a possible life or death situation was taking place, initially believing that Mr. Bondon was carrying a handgun.
The judge felt that he needed to send a message to Mr. Bondon who he said obviously feels he did no wrong. He made mention of Mr. Bondon's high profile as former Jackson County Sports Authority Chairman.
The defense attorney asserted that the riders had provoked the confrontation and that the prosecution was a vendetta by a group of avid cycling advocates. He worked the words "WMD" and "conspiracy" into the summation.
Character issues were emphasized during the trial, with testimony from bicyclist Matt Maher, a school teacher, Richard Gordon, a consultant for one of the nation's largest nonprofits, and Rachel Thompson, a chemist.
The two defense witnesses were a Lees Summit police officer and Mr. Bondon's second cousin, a two time convicted felon currently on probation.
Mr. Bondon tended to elaborate beyond the questions asked by defense counsel and did not keep his composure under cross by prosecutor Craig Sweeney. He gave the impression having some impulse control problems.
Much was made by the defense of discrepancies between the Richard and Rachel's testimony and subsequent playing of their 911 calls. This was pretty much dismissed by the judge. There was some sharp give and take between defense and prosecution throughout the proceedings and I really had no idea how the judge would rule.
And now for a personal comment: Where were all of you? Aside from court officers and one spectator, Matt's parents and myself were the only people there for the duration of the trial. You missed a great day for cyclists here in KC.
Another comment: If William Johnson had killed the Gaunts on the other side of Longview Lake, he would probably be in jail today.
The prosecution put forward by Mr. Sweeney was zealous. Much more so than what I witnessed during my time at the Gaunt trial.
- Related:
- News: Kansas City TV station's coverage of crash involving bicycles worries bicycle community
- News: KCStar columnist: Motorists should give cyclists more respect on the road
- News: Census:Bicycle commuting up 40% in Missouri since 2003
- News: Manslaughter trial in Larry and Sierra Gaunt trial gets underway
- News: Kansas City to go "from worst to first" in bicycling
