Gilpin man charged with beating man with political signs during protest

A Gilpin man is facing multiple misdemeanor charges in connection with the assault of a man during his one-man political protest in Allegheny Township.

Michael Robert Atwood, 38, has been charged by Allegheny Township police with misdemeanor charges of simple assault and related charges for incidents that unfolded at a grassy intersection along Route 356. The location of the incident is a triangle-shaped median in between Route 356 and South Leechburg Hill Road that’s owned by PennDOT.

Retired social worker Frank Ashbaugh, 69, of Allegheny Township, said he’s been protesting various social and political issues without incident for almost a decade from the same triangle area, across from Stanford Home Center.

Atwood is accused of attacking Ashbaugh on July 1 as he sat in a lawn chair in the grassy area amid his protest signs. Ashbaugh said he was holding a “Trump Is A Loser And A Cheat” sign when the incident occurred.

“This guy hit me from behind and I never saw him coming,” Ashbaugh said of the afternoon attack.

Atwood struck Ashbaugh with Ashbaugh’s protest signs, according to the criminal complaint.

Ashbaugh said he was holding the anti-Trump sign when Atwood grabbed a camera strap around Ashbaugh’s neck and pulled Ashbaugh to the ground, according to the complaint.

The digital camera is valued at around $300.

Other charges that Atwood faces are theft, criminal mischief, and causing damage to property.

“I think it was premeditated because he parked far away in the Stanford lot and had gloves on when he attacked me,” Ashbaugh said.

In a voice mail left on a Trib reporter’s phone, a man who identified himself as Atwood said he had “recently reached out to Mr. Ashbaugh.” The message said that Atwood “agreed to pay for the camera that was accidentally broke” and that Ashbaugh agreed to drop the charges.

But Ashbaugh said he didn’t agree to anything. He said a man who identified himself as a friend of Atwood’s showed up at his door and asked him to drop the charges, and he declined. No agreement was made concerning Ashbaugh’s camera, either.

Ashbaugh said the attack resulted in a headache and an abrasion on his wrist. His injuries did not require medical attention, but he said he is considering his legal options.

Police said they identified Atwood’s vehicle from surveillance camera footage obtained from Stanford Home Rental Center’s parking area that showed Atwood’s vehicle exiting the parking lot just before 3 p.m.

During a phone call with a township police officer, Atwood said he had assaulted Ashbaugh, according to the complaint. Township police located Atwood at his residence that evening.

Ashbaugh said one of the reasons he likes to protest near Stanford and a nearby gas station is the heavy video surveillance.

“I don’t know how he thought he wouldn’t be seen,” Ashbaugh said.

Allegheny Township Police Chief Duane Fisher said that section of Allegheny Township is the most heavily traveled corridor in the township, with more than 17,000 vehicles passing through daily.

“He’s been very reasonable, and he was protesting peacefully (that day),” Fisher said of Ashbaugh.

Fisher said Ashbaugh is not allowed to obstruct sight lines or have any safety issues for motorists while protesting.

“It’s my free speech rights,” Ashbaugh said. “As long as I don’t block traffic, my free speech rights are protected.”

Ashbaugh posted his own account, complete with photos, of the incident on his Facebook page.

He said authorities told him Atwood had a clean criminal record before this event.

After the incident, Ashbaugh said he located Atwood on social media and reached out, offering to help teach him how to make his own protest signs. He said Atwood never responded.

“As a former social worker, I’m trained in how to handle and diffuse situations,” Ashbaugh said.