PROVO — A man who says Gary Coleman's wife attacked him and stole his phone outside a Payson bowling alley has asked that his lawsuit be partially decided by a judge, after Coleman's wife allegedly admitted to the attack and the phone snatch.

"In my opinion, they've basically admitted to everything that my client claims," said Dustin Lance, the attorney who represents Colt Rushton. "Everything my client claimed they did, it seems to me that they admitted … but don't want to take any responsibility for what they've done."

Rushton was bowling with friends in Payson on Sept. 6, when he noticed Coleman, the former child star of the TV show "Diff'rent Strokes," bowling a few lanes down. Pulling out his cell phone, Rushton snapped a picture before he said he was confronted by a friend of Coleman's, Paul Rohbock, who allegedly said more pictures would cost him $20.

Rushton left the bowling alley, but stopped in the parking lot to snap a picture of Coleman's truck. That's when Rushton said Coleman's wife, Shannon Price, attacked him.

"She became upset, screamed at Rushton that he had 'lost his privileges' and proceeded to rush towards Rushton, and without permission, forcefully yanked Rushton's cell phone from his hands," according to court documents referencing Price's deposition.

Price told Coleman to roll down his truck window, and she threw the phone into the truck. She got in, and they left, hitting another car on the way out, according to the motion.

Those are the undisputed facts as they appeared in court-ordered sealed depositions with the Colemans, Lance said. For that reason, the lawyer said he asked a judge to issue a summary judgement that Price committed assault and battery, and they both committed "conversion," or unlawfully taking Rushton's phone.

Such a judgment would establish the conduct, but leave the issue of damages for a jury to decide.

The Colemans' attorney could not be reached for comment.

Several still-disputed facts include whether Coleman ran over Rushton with his truck. Rushton has $10,000 to $15,000 worth of medical bills for injuries that he said Coleman caused; however, Coleman has denied responsibility.

The lawsuit originally named Rohbock as a defendant; however, he was recently dismissed.

E-mail: sisraelsen@desnews.com