Happy Birthday Dr. Christopher Thompson!
So the District Attorney's Office said a big "Happy Birthday" by charging the former ER
physician with a variety of crimes for allegedly stopping his car in front of two cyclists on July 4 in Brentwood, causing one rider to crash through his rear window.Thompson was charged today with two felony counts each of reckless driving causing injury, battery with serious bodily injury and the special allegation of causing great bodily injury, the District Attorney's Office said.
Police said that when Thompson stopped his Infiniti, one of the cyclists was propelled through
the window. He suffered broken teeth, cuts on his face and a broken nose that was nearly cut off.Ron Peterson, 40, told the Los Angeles Times that the driver "yelled out some profanity and 'Ride single file.'"
Peterson said he tried to steer around the car but clipped it. "I ended up being catapulted over my own bike and landed in front
of the car," he said.The other cyclist hit the ground and suffered a shoulder separation.
Thompson, who lives on Mandeville Canyon Road, owns a medical documentation company in Woodland Hills. He was released on $30,000 bail.
He is scheduled to appear at the Airport courthouse on Aug. 1 for arraignment and faces nearly eight years in prison.
Some residents of Mandeville Canyon Road are apparently unhappy with the number of cyclists who ride there.
No word on what Thompson is doing to celebrate his big day.
Photos from laist.com
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Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
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Denise Nix knew as young as grade school, when she spent every summer working on the camp newspaper, that she wanted to be a journalist. Denise has spent most of the last 12 years of her career in the courtroom. She joined the Daily Breeze in 2001, where she tracks and reports on hundreds of cases at every level of the justice system. And she's never, ever, seen a judge use a gavel.
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happy birthday!
Share the road ! It took this for him to to learn.
Dr. Thompson has done this at least a half-dozen times that we know of and had been harassing cyclists and pedestrians (including families with children) for over a year. It's sad that he had to hurt two people before he got caught but it's good he was finally arrested. The next step would have been a fatality.
Hope he gets a new prison boyfriend for his birthday. This guy is a complete menace to society.
If he had killed the cyclist I'm sure the family would have sued the city as well. Just like the two female joggers who were paralized by a drunk hit and run driver. They didn't sue him they sued the city.
They should put speed bumps on that road. This will slow down cars and cyclists.
Why is everyone jumping to conclusions without considering all the facts from both sides. We have only read and heard what happened from and to the bicyclists. Of course the blood along with the biking activist's comments are emotionally biased. What about the facts from Dr. Thompson's side. We have heard very little about the bicyclists riding down the middle of the road, not letting cars pass, screaming curses at drivers, slowing down so that cars are NOT able to pass. Please be sure that you are not letting the sight of blood sway you emotionally.
Maybe he needed more patients...sounds like he's a real jackass so it doesn't surprise me.
Cynthia, while I agree with you that people need to keep an open mind without judging, it's pretty clear what happened. It's not just that he injured the two bikers in question, but that he's a repeat offender. Also, even if the bikers were not letting cars pass, screaming, or driving in the middle of the road...how is that relevant? You can't justify someone committing serious harm on someone just because the victim may have been slightly irritating.
Looking forward to Dr. Christopher Thompson's public trial which is scheduled for December 2008. A man with his privileged background should be smarter than to have instigated such an assault. On top of that, as a former ER doctor, subscribing to the Hippocratic Oath, Dr. Thompson had first hand experience of the level of damage his selfish actions could cause. I hope the judge and jury in this case take all of this into account during the punishment phase of the doctor’s trial. At any rate, Seven (7) years in Prison is MUCH TOO SHORT of a sentence for such a wanton and callous action against 2 random citizens. After his conviction I hope a civil suit by Ron Peterson (the cyclist who lost his teeth and sustained severe damage to his nose) relieves the good Doctor Christopher Thompson's estate of any and all remaining assets. This is truly a situation where tort law was meant to be enforced. Again, looking forward to December's public trial and justice for all citizen riders and pedestrians.
...hope someone slams into the nice Dr's A$$ when he's in county. and cynthia, you're right, we shouldnt let blood sway us, but neither should you let his pricey little lawyer sway you either.
the sight of blood swaying us ? Cynthia its two very damaged bodies and bikes and a broken glass rear window that sway me entirely - nothing the bicyclists did , even , perish the thought, spitting , justifies the "doctor"'s homicidal action for he stepped out his luxury sedan without the slightest trace of physical injury. He is clearly someone caught up in a narcissistic, vengeful myopia and needs to be removed from society where he can contemplate the consequences of is his vigilantism - he's a well fed, rich man whose arrogance reaches those of people like sweet Cynthia - if u dare to disturb their absolute right to complete pleasure hegemony your death and destruction is a worthy price - the death penalty to anyone who rattles their surreal cocoon that isolates them from all reality - attempted murder is a perfectly justifiable charge
I worked with Chris Thompson in the emergency room in Montebello, for about four years. He is extemely narcissistic, a rageholic. When I heard what he did, I had no doubt that he intended to injure these riders, and I hope he gets an appropriate sentence.
RB, RN
The most important thing to do, after the trial where I trust the Doctor will be ordered locked up for a very long time, is to EDUCATE and PUBLICIZE. I ride my bike to work and ride for fun on the weekends. Most motorists are great. Many others need an education. Let's publicize the results when they come so the roads can become a little safer for all.