Author Topic: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder  (Read 8568 times)

Area 10

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #15 on: April 17, 2019, 11:44:15 PM »
Yes. We simply don’t know what happened here. Even if the SUPer is an ass normally, and the surfer a saint, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t an accident on this occasion. Let’s not add to the general baying of the media, and wait and see how this turns out.

It’s a good lesson to us all to stay away from confrontation, and crowded spots, though.

surf4food

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #16 on: April 18, 2019, 05:23:15 PM »
Would really suck if the guy in the SUP was railroaded...

Just some observations from the bench... The article is severely biased, painting the surfer as a local sweetheart, and not a word about the guy on the SUP. At several points it also goes out of the way to make a distinction between SUP and prone... e.g. "used his hands to paddle his board towards the offender." Also note the use of the word "offender." Hyperbole abounds: "While Eslinger was lying flat on his board, the paddleboard cut across his path and the back end of the larger board came toward his head, he said." Please... It goes on and on; utter trash that casts doubt on the whole thing.

An entire article written from the words of only one of the two parties. Once we remove the obvious bias, the he-said, she-said, and land on the facts, only one person was injured, and only after admittedly seeking confrontation.

In my experience, confrontation that escalates to violence (and I've seen my share) is almost never one sided. There's a very good chance that the guy on the SUP was being an ass, but don't ask me to believe that the surfer paddled towards the SUP to have a calm, polite discussion about manners in the line up. Even in well mannered, polite Japan, that's a laugh.

Considering he had the advantage and the damage he inflicted on Eslinger, I wouldn't lose too much sleep if he does get "railroaded".  Even is Eslinger was the initial aggressor, that doesn't make it ok.  A skull fracture and brain damage is a bit overkill.

supsurf-tw

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #17 on: April 18, 2019, 05:25:02 PM »
I can see how things can get out of hand. There was a proner just hassling the hell out of my wife on her SUP one day IN THE DESIGNATED SUP ZONE for no reason except her calling him on his BS tactics in the water. I was just so EXTREMELY close to feeding him my paddle it isn't even funny and it was all I could do to refrain. I'm  surprised this isn't a more common occurrence, actually.
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surf4food

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #18 on: April 18, 2019, 05:30:23 PM »
Also, Kevin Eslinger is an occasional SUP surfer himself so I really doubt he just approached Konen to get into some anti SUP rage conflict with him. 

Tom

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #19 on: April 18, 2019, 06:54:09 PM »
I just got this news, not sure of any details

Quote
Jury Reaches Verdict in Paddleboarder's Assault on Surfer at Sunset Cliffs. Guilty on all counts!! Could serve 7 years.
I’m sure Kevin is relieved this is behind him!

p.s. not sure about him being a SUPer. Kevin is a world class paddleboarder but that is as a laydown paddle with your hands paddleboarder. He did paddle one of my SUPs on a dare, caught a wave, but I think that is the only time he has SUPed.

eastbound

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #20 on: April 19, 2019, 03:55:07 AM »
smells like the right verdict

damage another human? cage time
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Dusk Patrol

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #21 on: April 19, 2019, 09:53:22 AM »
East, if there's anything good to be found in this it could be that.  This guy thought he was living in a world where beefing with others in the water is normal and somehow accepted. Being a dick is OK because that's what surfers do.  Now society steps in with a big reminder and says NO, no matter what your little subculture thinks, assault is not ok... get in that cage. Maybe others will pay attention.   
« Last Edit: April 19, 2019, 10:25:38 AM by Dusk Patrol »
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eastbound

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #22 on: April 19, 2019, 11:26:04 AM »
,
« Last Edit: April 19, 2019, 11:34:11 AM by eastbound »
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eastbound

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #23 on: April 19, 2019, 11:33:01 AM »
i hear you that this may improve attitudes about conflict in the water, which is a very good thing---but not so sure the law shd be involved but for where something really heinous goes on---like this, for example, where a guy brain damages another guy with a weapon---and no matter how challenging or confrontational the victim was, the perp took things to a whole new level--

two guys end up in a fistfight?? and both want in?? it's a bit buyer beware for me, if someone ends end hurt---now if one guy incapacitates the other, who basically gives up and goes submissive, and the other guy goes on to do serious damage?? that's problematic, but tough to enforce---if a guy simply does not want to fight, doesnt talk shit aggressively, tries to walk away, and the other guy beats the hell out of him?? that prolly cageable?? tough call, in many cases

but if two guys are having words, any words, and one guy takes a weapon to the other (unarmed) guy and whacks him in the head, inflicting serious injury incl brain damage?? cage

now i am lucky i have never seen anything vicious go on btwn surfers--only words, in fact--if places i surf had serious localism and violence, i might well think the law should be involved, in attempt to change the culture---and my reluctance to have the law involved would go away
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Bean

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #24 on: April 19, 2019, 04:52:55 PM »
Problem with locking him up is, little or no chance for economic restitution, the judges know that, so on a maximum 7 year sentence, he might only see 18 mos.  It will be interesting to see how the court rules.

I personally believe the crime warrants the full 7...

pdxmike

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #25 on: April 19, 2019, 06:49:33 PM »
It reminds of a similar issue in sports.  Nobody wants lawyers handing out business cards on the sidelines after a hard hit at a football game, but on the other hand a hockey player badly injuring a ref by smashing him in the head with his stick seems reasonable to view as an assault, beyond the realm of sport.  In between, things get murky.


I may be remembering this totally wrong, but didn't the assaulter leave the victim in the water to fend for himself after hitting him?  That (if true) pushes it into different territory than if he'd even just hung around to make sure the guy got safely to shore.

Tom

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #26 on: April 19, 2019, 07:08:32 PM »
PDXMIKE,

Not entirely sure but I'm pretty sure he just paddled away. Kevin doesn't think he lost consciousness,  but may have for a short time. He didn't know he'd been hit, but saw the blood coming from his head. His wife, Janae and another friend helped him get to shore and clime the 100+ stairs and then drove him to the emergency clinic.

pdxmike

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #27 on: April 19, 2019, 07:28:37 PM »
PDXMIKE,

Not entirely sure but I'm pretty sure he just paddled away. Kevin doesn't think he lost consciousness,  but may have for a short time. He didn't know he'd been hit, but saw the blood coming from his head. His wife, Janae and another friend helped him get to shore and clime the 100+ stairs and then drove him to the emergency clinic.
Thanks, Tom.  The article at the top of this thread was a bit confusing to me, but the way I read it the paddler's lawyer was claiming the surfer was coming at him, and he (paddler) was trying to get away, so I took that as meaning he was asserting that the paddle strike was unintentional, or at worst self defense. 


But if it was either of those, it seems unlikely you could hit someone that hard in the face without realizing it was hard enough you should at least see if they're able to get to shore, and not doing that is irresponsible.

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Re: Start of trial of Surfer assaulted by paddle boarder
« Reply #28 on: April 20, 2019, 09:01:26 AM »
Surfers are so obnoxious to paddlers, and sometimes to each other.
Rarely hear of sup'ers bashing each other.
Without being there, would assume the surfer was quite threatening.
And whether or not the whole thing was simply a collision rather than a strike?

He1 said, He2 said with no video.

Pick a friend and vote innocent, and vice versa.

It all depends on the lawyer quality.

I wasn't there either, but the surfer IS a pretty well known guy around San Diego, or at least where he normally surfs.  From all the articles I've read and other threads about this case here on the zone, it looks like the paddler was the agitator.  We'll all find out more at the case unfolds.  And BTW, I have seen some pretty dick head SUP surfers.  Most (in the surf anyway) come from a traditional surfing background so they run the full gamut from mellow yellow to Lunada style local and any variation in between.

Sorry, I do not paddle near a big city.  The only obnox'ers I have seen have been surfers and the reports of surfers which indicate their etiquette includes a steady stream of aggressive heckling, ranging up to physical confrontation and property damage.  Even leading to arrests.  But I believe you.

Given this "etiquette" not so surprising that sparks might fly and someone gets hurt.

If I saw an angry surfer approach me, it would not surprise me, nor would I take it for granted they were not full of rage.


 


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