A college freshman was arrested for assault and making derogatory remarks about Asian food, then punching and choking a half-Asian student who objected. Hit the jump to read the rest of the story.
@WiL
Thomas Frank Ross, 19, is accused of attacking Christopher Tetreault, 18, late Friday night. Tetreault suffered a broken nose. Both men are students and live in Buckingham Hall.
Ross was taken to Boulder County Jail, but later released. His bond was set at $5,000 surety or $500 cash.
According to a police report, Tetreault and Ross both were in another student’s room with a larger group that was playing video games.
Tetreault told police that Ross blamed him for a bad smell in the room because he “eats all those Asian noodles.” Tetreault also told police that Ross had made derogatory remarks to him about being part Chinese in the past, and that he was “fed up.”
Tetreault told police he swore at Ross, who then punched and choked him, the report said. Tetreault said he threw a Monster Energy drink at Ross in an attempt to stop the attack.
Ross told police Tetreault made derogatory remarks to him about being Jewish and that he didn’t even know Tetreault was part Asian, the report said. He said he only hit Tetreault after Tetreault threw his drink on him.
Other students in the room disagreed about some of the details but told police that Ross made the comment about Tetreault eating noodles and that Ross hit or choked Tetreault before Tetreault threw the drink.
According to the police report, Ross stopped punching Tetreault when he started bleeding from the face.
Ross also faces a student disciplinary procedure through the Office of Student Conduct, which is separate from the criminal process.
Student disciplinary actions are considered private, CU-Boulder spokesman Bronson Hilliard said.
Speaking generally, students accused of violent crimes face summary suspension from campus and cannot come on campus except for meetings with the Office of Student Conduct.
Hilliard said the events described in the police report are “disturbing.”
“There is no reason for disagreements between students to result in fists being thrown or ethnic insults,” Hilliard said. “These are adults.”
A hearing for filing of charges is scheduled for Wednesday.
