A Bailey resident told the Park County Board of County Commissioners that a pickup truck intentionally drove into a crowd of about 35 people during a Labor Day protest and urged the board to issue a public statement condemning violence.

"On Labor Day, here in Bailey, a blue pickup truck drove 6 feet into the crowd, ... He drove head on 6 feet into the crowd of 35 people who are conducting a peaceful protest," Rob Green told the board during public comment. Green said a woman sitting in a chair who had recently been released from the hospital on oxygen was sprayed with gravel but that, by luck, no one was killed. He said the sheriff's department arrested the driver and called the board's silence "appalling," urging commissioners to "issue a public statement condemning violence at peaceful protests. Not later, not with excuses, but now."

Commissioners said the incident has been referred to law enforcement and that it is now a court matter. "We did comment about this incident at our work session. And I think that it's in the matter of the courts now. And so it is not appropriate for the Board of County Commissioners to comment on everything that is moving through, standard, law procedure," one commissioner said. Another commissioner added the board does not support infringement of free speech or assembly rights and noted law enforcement is handling the case.

Several members of the public spoke on the subject and expressed differing views. Brenda Borton recounted a prior assault she said she experienced while holding a political sign and opposed pressuring the board to issue statements about individual incidents.

The board did not issue a formal public condemnation during the meeting and said the matter will proceed through the criminal justice process.