Coleman pleads not guilty in run-in; case going to trial

PAYSON — A former child star accused of hitting a fan with his truck has pleaded not guilty and plans to take his case to trial.

Gary Coleman, 40, was in Payson Justice Court Tuesday morning with his wife, Shannon Price, to answer charges of reckless driving and disorderly conduct stemming from a run-in at a Payson bowling alley on Sept. 6.

"Your honor," Coleman told the judge, "I'm not guilty of any of those charges."

Coleman was bowling with Price and a friend/alleged bodyguard when 24-year-old Colt Rushton began snapping pictures on his cell-phone camera.

"(Coleman) is out for a quiet evening, and this is the kind of thing that happens," said defense attorney Randy Kester.

Rushton said that Coleman's friend/alleged bodyguard, Paul Rohbock, walked over and told him pictures would cost $20, but Kester said Coleman never asked for money and that Rohbock simply told him to back off.

Rohbock also said there were other, appropriate photo shoot times and even invited Rushton.

Rushton then left, and Coleman's group waited for a few minutes to avoid another run-in, Kester said. However, when Coleman exited, Rushton was snapping pictures of Coleman's truck in the parking lot, Kester said.

Rushton and his attorney, Dustin Lance, said that Price began clawing at Rushton to get his cell phone, and in retaliation Coleman slammed into Rushton with his truck.

However, Kester said Coleman never hit Rushton with his truck, he just tried to leave the bowling alley.

Kester said that Coleman, the former star of "Diff'rent Strokes," is being targeted because of his celebrity status.

"He didn't do anything wrong," Kester said. "None of this would have happened if it was (anyone else) leaving the bowling alley. Gary didn't act any different that evening than any of the rest of us would have."

Kester told the judge they would be talking with a few witnesses who were not mentioned in the police report and requested several weeks to prepare.

The judge set the next hearing, a pretrial conference, for 9:30 a.m. Dec. 2.

After the hearing — which was delayed an hour because of a miscommunication between Kester and Coleman on the time — Coleman and Price rushed from the courtroom.

"Don't say anything, Gary," Price told him as they hurried out.

"I'm not," Coleman said and repeated the phrase, "Talk to my attorney," when asked questions by a throng of media.

Coleman also recently denied all of Rushton's allegations in a 4th District Court civil suit, which alleges that Rushton was physically injured by Coleman's truck and requests damages for pain and suffering, past and future medical expenses and lost earnings and loss of earning capacity.

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