AUSTIN — An Austin man accused of kicking a teenager in a wheelchair pleaded guilty Monday in Mower County District Court to gross misdemeanor domestic assault.
In exchange for the plea, an additional charge of gross misdemeanor malicious punishment of a child against Patrick William Lowe, 43, was dismissed.
Sentencing has been set for Jan. 23.
The charges stemmed from an incident May 18 in Austin's Todd Park. The next day, a caller told police that the victim, who has cerebral palsy, had accidentally driven his wheelchair over Lowe's foot. An argument ensued, the report says, culminating in Lowe yelling at, then kicking the victim in the groin.
According to the complaint, Lowe is the boy's personal care assistant, paid by a company to provide care.
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An officer checked with the victim, who confirmed the story. The boy said that when he asked Lowe to stop picking at his acne, Lowe became angry and told the boy to ride home on his own. The teenager said Lowe grabbed him and engaged the brakes on the wheelchair so the boy couldn't leave; instead, the boy put the wheelchair in reverse and accidentally ran over Lowe's lower leg.
According to the criminal complaint, Lowe then kicked the teenager in the groin.
The boy's mother said she was concerned about Lowe's temper, but hadn't seen any physical abuse until May 18.
Lowe admitted he and the boy had argued, and confirmed that the wheelchair had driven over his leg. He said when he tried to show the teenager his leg, he "may have hit" the victim's groin, the report says.
A check of Lowe's criminal history shows a conviction for violating an order for protection.
