Idaho Gay Couple Suffers Injuries in Alleged Anti-Gay Attack
Police in Idaho have arrested a man accused of assaulting a gay couple in what appears to have been an unprovoked, homophobic attack.
A gay couple is recovering after what they believe was a bias-motivated assault in Caldwell, Idaho.
Eric Reed and Juan Olvera said they were leaving a restaurant near Indian Creek Plaza, a downtown shopping and dining district, on the evening of June 13 when several men allegedly yelled homophobic slurs at them.
The couple said they were chased through a parking lot and assaulted by one of the men near the railroad tracks at 9th Avenue.
“I literally thought I was going to die, and I don’t even know how to explain the fear I have right now. We haven’t left the house for the past few days,” Olvera told Boise NBC affiliate KTVB. “What’s going to happen to the next person? Are they going to kill them? I literally felt they were going to kill us for being gay. It’s a scary thing to live through, and I never would wish this on anyone.”
Reed needed six stitches to his lip, while Olvera suffered bruises and cuts. The pair, who have been together for 15 years, told KTVB they had never experienced a similar incident.
“I just feel so scared that this could happen to my partner and me, and just seeing my partner’s face afterwards,” Olvera said.
Police later arrested 55-year-old Caldwell resident Pedro Villarreal III and charged him with misdemeanor battery.
Caldwell police say Idaho law does not allow hate crime charges or sentencing enhancements in the case because the state’s hate crime statute, known as “malicious harassment,” applies only to crimes targeting individuals based on race, color, religion, ancestry, or national origin. It does not cover crimes motivated by a person’s sexual orientation.
“We’re here to serve the citizens of Caldwell and Idaho,” Lt. Jeffrey Peterson told KTVB. “And unfortunately, when we’re unable to give them the justice that they feel that they need, under the application of the law, it is frustrating.”
Olvera and Reed, who claim they are conservative, say they want people to come together.
“As politics continue to clash, everybody needs to put that away and remember we’re all Americans in the end. All of us bleed the same, and we’re all Americans,” Olvera said.
Caldwell Mayor Eric Phillips released a statement condemning the incident.
“As mayor, I want to be clear that we do not support violence in any form in our community,” he said. “Everyone deserves to feel safe at our public events and throughout the City of Caldwell. We are aware of the incident that occurred at the Caldwell Night Market this weekend, and we are grateful for the swift response from law enforcement. We will continue to defer to the Caldwell Police Department as they complete their investigation.”
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