Injunction ordered against Turner man for homophobic slurs and car ramming

Sun Journal (Lewiston, ME)

Jan. 28--AUBURN -- A judge this week ordered a Turner man, who in 2012 rammed his car into another and yelled homophobic slurs at the driver, not to engage in any activities that would threaten that driver.

Androscoggin County Superior Court Justice MaryGay Kennedy signed a permanent injunction Monday barring Ronald Champagne, 55, of 2319 Auburn Road from threatening to use physical force against Paul Groleau or against any person by reason of that person's race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation.

Champagne is also prohibited from damaging or trespassing on Groleau's property, harassing, intimidating or speaking to him or coming within 150 feet of Groleau, his home or where he works.

If Champagne violates the order, he could be charged with a Class D crime, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a maximum fine of $2,000.

The same judge granted a preliminary injunction in 2012.

The prohibition stems from a case in which Champagne targeted Groleau on the night of March 22, 2012, at the causeway boat launch on Route 4 in Auburn, police said.

Groleau, who was 61, had pulled his vehicle into the parking lot at about 11 p.m. after leaving his shift at his local job to adjust some items in the back of his vehicle, police said. Champagne drove up to Groleau's vehicle in a Cadillac, rolled down his window, and yelled: "You're a f---- fag and I'm gonna ram your ass right into the lake," according to Kennedy's injunction.

Champagne followed Groleau from the lot.

Groleau called 911 on his cellphone to report the incident. During the call, Champagne's Cadillac rammed Groleau's vehicle twice, causing Groleau to drop his phone on the second collision.

After the second impact, the Cadillac sped away.

Groleau, who was unhurt, stopped at a car dealership and waited for police. He had seen the first four numbers of the Cadillac's license plate and recited them to police.

A deputy at the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office later found Champagne and his Cadillac at his Turner home. Damage to the front end of the Cadillac was consistent with the reported ramming of Groleau's vehicle, according to court papers.

Police who drove Champagne to Androscoggin County Jail said he "spontaneously made several comments about the 'queers' and the Auburn Police Department's problems with them on the causeway. He said he wasn't about to bring 'his girl' to watch the sunset 'because of all the queers,'" court documents showed.

Based on Champagne's threats to Groleau and on police reports that Champagne referred to the boat launch area as a "pickle park," coupled with Champagne's apparent discomfort with that area "because there was nothing but queers there," according to remarks he made to another police officer, Kennedy ruled the state had proved with a preponderance of evidence that Champagne was motivated by his perception of Groleau's sexual orientation.

Kennedy's ruling was a response to the Maine Attorney General's Office's motion seeking a permanent injunction against Champagne.

Defense attorney Donald Hornblower had written in court papers that: "Mr. Champagne, however, emphatically denied that he had done this because of Groleau's sexual orientation, and he denied holding any bias against Mr. Groleau as a result of his perception that Mr. Groleau was a homosexual man . . . He explained that he had been motivated by his deep religious beliefs, that he had been concerned about the blatant extramarital affairs and open and illegal sexual activity that had been occurring at the boat launch . . . "

Assistant Attorney General Leanne Robbin had argued that religious belief is not a defense to acts or threats of violence.

In 2014, Champagne pleaded no contest to a felony charge of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and a misdemeanor charge of violating condition of release. He was sentenced to 18 months, with all of that time suspended except for two weeks in Androscoggin County Jail followed by one year of probation.

He was ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution to Groleau's auto insurance company, plus $300 to Groleau. He also had been ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation and take all medications as prescribed during his probation.

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