Riding High's John Van Hazinga in deep trouble after garage parking incident...

skategeezer · 04-28-2008, 07:00 PM

Brain Injury to Blame for Alleged Assault?

Burlington, Vermont - April 28, 2008
A Burlington skate shop owner who prompted an outpouring of public support after he was injured in a skateboarding crash is now facing criminal charges. And his lawyer says they may be linked to the brain trauma he sustained in the crash.
John Van Hazinga is charged with assaulting two security guards in February at Fletcher Allen Health Care and resisting arrest. According to court papers, Van Hazinga had been skateboarding in the hospital's parking garage. The security guards asked him to leave, and allege that he swung his skateboard at them. He ran toward UVM, and police who caught up with him tased him when he resisted arrest.
Van Hazinga was in court for a competency hearing Monday. His lawyer told the judge his brain injury may affect his ability to control his impulses.

ridesnow. · 04-28-2008, 07:02 PM

oh my god. wow. that's nuts, what a tradgedy........ I dont know what to say...

jackflash · 04-28-2008, 07:03 PM

damn, but there has to be more to that story cuz y would he just swing the board at the security guards just for asking him to leave?

HerBDerb · 04-28-2008, 07:06 PM

Oh, ####....

TylertheSquint · 04-28-2008, 07:07 PM

in the first case, why would you swing your board at someone? very rude and ill-mannered. doesnt matter unless it was to defend yourself.

aaronaftershock · 04-28-2008, 07:09 PM

Wow, I've never met the guy but from how people described him he sounded like a laid-back "easy roller" type...

Very sad.

kenofseattle · 04-28-2008, 07:11 PM

Yeah, he's probably not quite himself yet and lashed out impulsively as a result of that brain injury last year. He's never hurt anybody in his life, but his mental state is not what it should be yet. I'm sure the prosecuting attorney will see this in court with John, but it's too bad that it had to happen at all.

John is not supposed to be skating at all right now. If he fell hard again, the re-injury to his brain could very well kill him. He should not be skating at all and everyone who knows him should strip boards from his hands when they see him carrying one.

skategeezer · 04-28-2008, 07:11 PM

this story is now all over the net...it got picked up by google...

kapoze · 04-28-2008, 07:11 PM

wow.. this came out of no where i was just in his shop a few weeks ago and he seemed find. this is scary

Karv · 04-28-2008, 07:12 PM

There has to be more than that.

skategeezer · 04-28-2008, 07:22 PM

I am sure the truth will surface...at least it will surface here at da fish.

John, if you are reading this...or a friend of John's is reading this, our thoughts are with you...

I hope all works out...

elementalzoo · 04-29-2008, 06:31 AM

A friend of mine incurred a serious brain injury leaving scar tissue inside the brain. And it does indeed contribute to intermittent issues in personality. Those who have suffered such an injury are never the same again. If you see someone using crutches, you can see they are hurt. An internal injury is not noticed and so not considered. But it's just as real.

Someone who was totally mellow before can suffer impulse problems that come on quickly and flood their senses and judgement, and some other symptoms are more subtle that only a trained eye can detect right away.

BTW, a brain injury is permanent. There is a kind of healing and on the other hand it never goes away. For the rest of his life he will be more likely to die due to head impact. Brain injury victims also are launched into susceptibility for Alzehimers when previously they were at no risk. There are a myriad of problems for folks who suffere brain injury and the fact that people are shocked that he would do such a thing need to realize that who he was before a brain injury is not who he is now.