Confrontation leads to charges
A computer released by the District Attorney's Office contained this video depicting an altercation between Steve Hindi and an employee of a Warminster pool company who pulled a gun on pigeon shooting protestors
Posted: Thursday, March 24, 2011
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A pool company employee and two animal rights protesters face summary charges as a result of a post-protest confrontation on a Warminster street in February that ended after the pool employee pulled a gun on the protesters.
Robert Olsen, 62, of Dublin, who was videotaped pulling a gun on the protesters, faces disorderly conduct and careless driving charges, according to court records. Steve Hindi, 56, and Janet Enoch, 49, both of Elburn, IL, are charged with disorderly conduct for a physical offense, and harassment for following in a public place. Hindi is additionally charged with harassment by subjecting another to physical contact and careless driving.
The charges stem from an altercation on a Warminster street on Feb. 22 that was captured on video by Enoch.
Hindi and Enoch, members of Showing Animals Respect and Kindness, had been protesting outside Carlton Pools on York Road until about 1 p.m.
They said that morning a man later identified as Olsen, Carlson Pools' operations manager, had driven at them in a threatening manner and they had attempted to obtain video of his license plate. As they left, Olsen drove up to them again, they said, and the two groups exchanged words. Hindi and Enoch said they followed Olsen to get his license plate to complain to police.
After a brief vehicle chase recorded on video, Olsen pulled to the side of the road and approached the two protesters.
The video depicts:
A verbal and then physical altercation obscured by Olsen's hand on Enoch's camera. When Olsen's hand comes away from the camera, he states that Hindi hit him and draws a handgun. Olsen orders Hindi to the ground but then Olsen gets back in his SUV and leaves.
Hindi and Enoch said Olsen grabbed her and then Hindi pushed Olsen away from Enoch to defend her. Olsen told police that he reached toward the camera, which Enoch pushed against his hand, and then Hindi punched him in the face.
Police seized Hindi's laptop and camera after the altercation, officials said.
It's unclear if investigators also seized what appeared to be a cell phone that someone in Olsen's vehicle was using to record the physical altercation from a different angle.
District Attorney David Heckler declined to comment on the case; Warminster police repeatedly have declined to comment on the matter.
Hindi and Enoch said they look forward to fighting the charges against them and are outraged that Olsen wasn't the target of criminal charges.
The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching Olsen at his Dublin home.
Matt Coughlin can be reached at 215-345-3147 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/coughlinreports
