Driver Charged Over Incident at War Protest

A 22-year-old college student who allegedly drove into an anti-war protester with his pickup truck during a demonstration in Thousand Oaks was charged Tuesday with reckless driving, authorities said.

Glenn Gazdik of Agoura was charged with the misdemeanor violation in connection with a Jan. 15 incident in which he allegedly ran into Ali Dempsey, 25, of Thousand Oaks while she was participating in an anti-war protest.

Dempsey, who suffered leg and back injuries in the accident, said she was pleased with the decision to file charges against Gazdik. But she said he also should face hit-and-run charges.

“No matter what they do to him, it’s not justice enough,” Dempsey said. “He should be here in pain.”

Gazdik, a Moorpark College student, declined to comment.

The district attorney’s office filed the charges based upon evidence presented in a Sheriff’s Department investigation, Deputy Dist. Atty. Gregory D. Totten said.

The department’s original investigation showed that Gazdik inadvertently drove onto the sidewalk after becoming frightened of the protesters, and investigators initially played down the incident. The day after the accident, sheriff’s Lt. Geoff Dean said, “He is a real nice guy who got really scared and left.”

But sheriff’s officials said they decided to investigate possible criminal conduct by the driver after more witnesses stepped forward.

The resulting investigation showed that Gazdik was traveling south on Moorpark Road about 4 p.m. on Jan. 15, when he stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of Thousand Oaks Boulevard, authorities said.

While there, Gazdik became embroiled in a verbal exchange with protesters on the sidewalk, authorities said. During the heated exchange, Gazdik deliberately pulled up onto the sidewalk to get out of traffic, Sgt. Will Howe said. Protesters said Gazdik yelled obscenities at them.

The conversation deteriorated further and Gazdik started to leave, Howe said.

“He revved his engine and accelerated rapidly away and struck the victim,” Totten said.

Gazdik left the scene of the accident and reported it to the Sheriff’s Department once he reached home, authorities said. Some of the protesters called an ambulance for Dempsey, who was treated at Los Robles Regional Medical Center for a bruised thigh, sprained knee, bruised wrist and a sprained back.

Totten said the district attorney’s office has declined to file hit-and-run charges against Gazdik at this time. But he said the charge could be added later if more evidence comes to light.

The vehicle code requires that a driver involved in a traffic accident stop at the scene of the accident, give his name and address, render aid and notify law enforcement without delay, Totten said.

However, Totten said circumstances would make it difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Gazdik did not comply with the law. Other people were available to render aid, and he notified law enforcement when he reached his house, Totten said. There also is some evidence that Gazdik was afraid of the people at the scene, Totten said.

The hit-and-run violation can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony, carrying a maximum state prison sentence of four years, compared to a maximum of six months in Ventura County Jail for reckless driving.

“I would like them to charge him for hit-and-run, but I’m happy that they at least are charging for reckless driving,” said Dempsey, who has hired an attorney to represent her in a possible lawsuit against Gazdik.

Dempsey, who said she is suffering great pain and is unable to pay her growing medical bills, said she believed that the Sheriff’s Department at first had no intention of prosecuting Gazdik and that officials dragged their feet on the investigation, perhaps because of her stance on the war.

But Ventura County Assistant Sheriff Oscar Fuller said Dempsey was wrong on all counts.

The investigation involved “methodically talking to people, looking at the scene, using good, solid investigatory standards rather than trying to react on emotion and just start grabbing people,” Fuller said.