Man Assaults 60-Year-Old Victim Who Was Just Trying to Rent a Car
At around 10:10 p.m. on Tuesday, an employee of Dollar rent-a-car called 911 to report that a customer had just been attacked by a man at the business. Missoula Police Officers responded and identified 51-year-old Shane Napier as the suspect. Police Public Information Officer Lydia Arnold explains.
“On scene, officers learned Napier had initiated a physical disturbance with another male for no apparent reason,” Arnold said. “The involved parties did not know one another. The victim was transported to the hospital for injuries sustained in the disturbance and his condition is unknown at this time.”
Court documents indicate Napier was acting erratically and was difficult to understand. Napier had blood dripping down his right arm and repeatedly said he thought “she” was getting robbed. Napier reported that he had been walking down Broadway, looked in the business’ window, and thought the female employee looked “in fear.”
The employee reported that she had picked the victim up from the airport and drove him to the rental facility. They completed the business’ necessary paperwork and the victim was on his way out to take his rented car. She heard the victim scream and thought he had fallen down the stairs. She looked up and saw Napier punching and attacking the victim. She called 911 and the victim got up from the attack and ran back into the building. She reported that Napier was pounding on the door while she was on the phone with 911.
“Based on the initial investigation by officers and observations made, the suspect male, Shane Napier, was taken into custody and is being held at the Missoula County Detention Center on assault charges,” Arnold said.
The 60-year-old victim reported that he was in town for work and had never met Napier before. He said that he had stepped out the front door and that Napier flew into him from about 10 feet away, causing him to fall to the ground. He said they rolled several times and that Napier slammed his head into the pavement. Napier then punched the victim in the head several times near his left temple. The victim disclosed that while Napier was hitting him, he said “I’m going to f*****g kill you.” The victim reported that he was shocked and had no idea why this happened.
A detective interviewed Napier on Wednesday. Napier reported that he suffers from mental health issues, is in counseling, and on medication. Napier told the detective that he “saw a man and woman fighting” and he thought the man had just hit the woman, which made him angry.
Napier claimed the victim attacked him unprovoked. When the detective informed Napier it was the other way around, Napier appeared shocked. Napier told the detective “anything volatile, I black out.” Napier asked the detective to apologize to the victim on his behalf. Napier was charged with one count of felony aggravated assault.