The owner of a Douglas County bar cited for turning away a woman with a service dog pleaded not guilty on Thursday, a day after missing his first court date.
ON SERVING MINORS.THE OWNER OF A DOUGLAS COUNTYBAR CITED LAST MONTH FOR TURNINGAWAY A WOMAN WITH A SERVICE DOGPLEADED NOT GUILTY ON THURSDAY,A DAY AFTER MISSING HIS FIRSTCOURT DATE.3 NEWS NOW INVESTIGATORAARON SANDERFORD WENT BACK TOCOURT TODASURFSIDE CLUB OWNER MIKE WALKERFACES A MISDEMEANOR CHARGE OFDENYING A DISABLED PERSON ENTRYTO HIS BUSINESS, A BAR ALONG THEMISSOURI RIV.ERBUT HE WON’T GO TO JAIL FORMISSING COURT.ON THURSDAY, HIS LAWYER, ROBERTWILLIAMS, GOT JUDGE MARCENAHENDRIX TO RESCIND A BENWARRANT.
WALKER HAD TOLD 3 NEWSNOW HE’D GOENTT THE DATE WRONG.WALKER FACES UP TO THREE MONTHSIN JAIL AND UP TO A $500 FINEFOR ALLEGEDLY TELLING SARPYCOUNTY’S VALERIE POWELL TO LEAVESURFSIDE WITH HER SERVICE DOG ONMA23Y RD.POWELL SHARED CELL PHONE VIDEOWITH US FROM THAT DAY.
WALKERHAS CALLED THE VIDEO SELECTIVE.WALKER, VIDEO 2, TALKING TOSHERIF"THEY’RE REFUSING TO LEAVE," HESAID.
"THEY’VE BEEN REFUSEDSERVICE.
A BLONDE ABOUT 5’4.SHE’S GOT A DOG THAT SHE’S NOTSUPPOSED TO HAVE HERE."HE AND HIS LAWYER DECLINED TOCOMMENT ON CAMERA.
HIS LAWYERSAID IN A STEMATENT THAT ITAPPEARS POWELL HAD A LEGITIMATESERVICE DOG FOR A MEDICALREASON.HE SAID WALKER WAS TRYING TOPROTECT HIS BUSINESS AFTEROTHERS HAVE TRIED TO PASS OFFPETS AS SERVICE ANIMALS.
HE SAIDTHE LAW MAKES IT HARD FORBUSINESS OWNERS TO BE SURE.(GRAPHIC FROM STEMPLE OFSTATEMENT, WITH LAER PICWYAND/OR WALKER STILL.)"AT THIS POINT, THERE ISADDITIONAL EVIDENCE TO OBTAINAND FLESH OUT BEFOIRE WE DECIDEHOW TO PROCEED IN COURT,"WILLIAMS SAID.POWELL HAS SD AISHE WANTS WALKERTO UNDERSTAND WHAT HE DID WASWRONG.
HER SERVICE DOG, BEARIS,TRAINED TO HELP HER WITH HERBALANCE AND HOW SHE HANDLESSTRESS.THE LAW PRECOTTS PEOPLE WITHSERVICE DOGS, ALLOWING THEMENTRY TO PLACES WHERE ANIMALSARE USUALLY KEPT OUT.
POWELLSAID THURSDAY SHE WANTS WALKERPROSECUTED.WALKER, BEFORE HIS COURTAPPEARANCE, COULD BE HEARDREPEATING THAT HE DID WHAT TWODOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF’SDEPUTIES TOLD HIM HE COULD DO.CHIEF DEPUTY DOUGLAS CNTOUYSHERIFF WAYNE HUDSON HAS TOLD 3NEWS NOW INVESTIGATORS THATWALKER MADE S HIOWN DECISION ANDMUST’VE MISUNDERSTOOD THEM.HERE’S WHAT POWELL’S VIDEOSHOWED.SHERIFFS DEPUTIES, HER CELLPHONE VIDEO 5 1:24"HE SAID THAT YOU COULD GO IN.YOU WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE THE DOG.BASICALLY YOU CAN’T TAKE THE DOGIN."HUDSON TOLD US FOR OUR ORIGINALSTORTHY AT HE WOULD MAKE SUREALL OF HIS DEPUTIES BETTERUNDERSTOOD THE LAW ABOUT SERVICEANIMALAARON SANDERFORD, 3 NEWS NOW.WALKER’S NEXT CRTOUAPPEARANCE IS AUGUST 31ST.*FOR MORE ON THIS STORY,AND THE 3 NEWS NOW INVESTIGATORSPIECE THAT OUR TEAM FIRST BROKEJUST VISIT OUR WEBSI
He's now set to appear Thursday.
The right to bring service animals almost anywhere is protected in state and federal law, including the Americans with Disabilities..