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Man wouldn’t let cigarette dispute go. Now he’s in jail for skateboard assault

By Wendy Culverwell

wculverwell@tricityherald.com
A dispute over cigarettes at the skateboard park at Kennewick’s Keewaydin Park escalated when one man struck another with his skateboard, knocking out several teeth. Tan Nugyen, 30, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, police said.
A dispute over cigarettes at the skateboard park at Kennewick’s Keewaydin Park escalated when one man struck another with his skateboard, knocking out several teeth. Tan Nugyen, 30, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, police said. Rajah Bose Tri-City Herald file

A man who wouldn’t let an argument over missing cigarettes go was booked into the Benton County jail on a misdemeanor assault charge after he used his skateboard to knock out his victim’s teeth.

Kennewick police arrested Tan Nguyen, 30, after the confrontation Wednesday evening with a man identified as Justin, 21, at the skatepark at Keewaydin Park.

Justin attempted to end the confrontation by walking away, police said. But as he walked off, he was struck in the back of his head by a cigarette lighter, allegedly thrown by Nguyen.

Justin turned and was struck in the face by a skateboard, knocking out several teeth.

Nguyen fled, but police found him east of the nearby police station a short time later.

This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 2:11 PM with the headline "Man wouldn’t let cigarette dispute go. Now he’s in jail for skateboard assault."

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