S. African Diplomat Faces Assault Charge

A South African diplomat was cited for assault Monday after his car struck a protester and a police officer outside a radio station where he had been interviewed, police said.

South African Vice Consul Duke Kent Brown, who is connected with the consulate in New York, was arrested about a quarter-mile away after allegedly fleeing the scene, Police Chief John Race said. About 30 people had gathered outside the station to protest Brown’s participation in a talk show.

Brown was charged with simple assault, released on his own recognizance and ordered to appear in court in April. The charge carries up to a year in prison and a fine of $1,000. It was not immediately known whether Brown would be covered by diplomatic immunity.