Cameraman Accused of Attacking, Cutting OCN News Anchor

A cameraman with Orange County NewsChannel, a 24-hour cable news station, was released from jail on his own recognizance Monday after one of the station’s anchors reported that he had attacked her and cut her with a knife.

“It’s all very unfortunate,” said Alan Bell, president of the broadcast division of Freedom Newspapers, which also owns the Orange County Register. “They’re both terrific people who are very valuable to us. One’s a very fine photographer, the other a great anchor.”

Anchorwoman Linda Huffman, 31, reported that a fight broke out between her and Phillip Lapkin, 32, of Huntington Beach about 2 a.m. Saturday. Newport Beach police said they were told that Lapkin threatened her, then hit her several times in the face and cut her on the arm with a kitchen knife during a scuffle.

Huffman suffered a 3-inch cut on her right forearm and bruises but refused medical treatment, Police Sgt. Andy Gonis said.

Lapkin, who traveled to the Middle East earlier this year to help cover the Persian Gulf War for OCN, was jailed Saturday in Newport Beach on $10,000 bail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

“We telephoned him after taking the report from her” about 6 a.m. Saturday, Gonis said, “and he came into the Police Department, and we arrested him.”

Lapkin brought his camera with him to the station and made the unusual request to film the proceedings, Gonis said. “But we explained that couldn’t happen,” Gonis said.

Bail was waived Monday in Harbor Municipal Court in Newport Beach, and Lapkin was released on his own recognizance, Gonis said. As part of the release, Lapkin had to pay $318 in bail for a failed court appearance from a past traffic citation, and his contact with Huffman was restricted, Gonis said. He is to reappear in court on Sept. 10.

Lapkin could not be reached for comment on the incident Monday.

At her home in Newport Beach, Huffman declined to discuss details of the incident but said, “I’m doing great.”

She said she plans to return to the air today but acknowledged that there will be some tension in the newsroom. “It’s going to be difficult. I’m sure anyone could imagine that.”

Huffman said she and Lapkin were not dating but worked together on occasion for field assignments and sometimes “hung out” together outside of work.

She said she is unsure how the matter should be handled at the station.

“I’m really not interested in anything to do with him,” she said.

Bell, the OCN executive, said he expects that both Huffman and Lapkin may take a few days to “cool down” but that both should be able to continue their work at the station.

“I can’t rule out anything other than to say we hope this could be handled on the most informal and compassionate basis. . . . You want to do the right thing and you want to be fair,” he said.

Huffman, who came to Orange County last year from Cleveland, is one of six regular anchors on OCN and usually appears in the mornings.