An Orange County School Board trustee is accused of strangling and stomping a 20-year-old male neighbor in the middle of the road during a road rage incident last year, according to the complaint.
Dr. Ken Williams Jr., who works in Ward 3 and is seeking re-election on the March 5 primary ballot, is accused of kicking a man's car, throwing him to the ground, climbing on top of him and then putting his hands around his neck. He has been indicted. .
The complaint alleges that Williams, 65, left the driver, Kayden O'Malley, in pain and “unable to walk” on a 55 mph roadway in Mission Viejo.
“While suffering, Mr. Kayden somehow crawled to the side of the road and sought emergency medical assistance,” the complaint states.
Call records obtained by the Times confirmed that O'Malley called emergency personnel at 1:32 p.m. on March 11, 2023. The incident report states that the driver “physically assaulted” O'Malley. , it is written that he “stepped on his foot” and “started off.”
Mr. O'Malley and his attorney did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Williams acknowledged the lawsuit Friday in a brief interview with the Times, but said he could not comment on the details of the case on the advice of his attorney. Mr. Williams declined to reveal the name of his lawyer.
Dr. Ken Williams serves on the Orange County Board of Education in District 3 and is seeking re-election on the March 5 primary ballot.
(Los Angeles Times)
Williams, who was first elected to the OC School Board in 1996, has accused political opponents of using the lawsuit filed against him as leverage.
“I have a lot of political opponents,” he said. “The other person is using this.”
During his re-election campaign, Williams has come under scrutiny for his stance on “protecting child innocence, defending charter schools, and distancing himself from woke curricula such as critical race theory that undermines parent-child relationships.” said.
Williams said in a statement that he has been personally attacked because of his political stances.
“My political opponents in this campaign and election cycle have no message to send to voters on March 5 other than to attack my personal and professional career and character,” the statement read. has been written. “The woke left attacks me because I oppose defunding the police, my opposition to public positions supporting law enforcement and law and order, and weakening criminal laws. Because I am against it.”
Asked if he thought the lawsuit was politically motivated, Williams said, “I'm not saying that,” but that his opponents were using information against him to prop up political allies. He stated that he is working to have the rights revoked.
Williams' endorsements include the Orange County Republican Party, Sheriff Don Burns and the Orange County Registrar's Office.
Williams is also a reserve sheriff with the Orange County Sheriff's Department, according to his online OC Board of Education profile.
“Ken's passion for public safety and protecting children and families from violence is his primary public policy commitment as an elected Trustee,” his profile reads. “He is a strong supporter of safe schools and anti-bullying education programs.”
The violent crash began on Crystal Canyon Road, where O'Malley, who was driving a Cadillac Escalade, saw Williams' Volkswagen Golf TDI stop and block the road, according to the complaint.
It's unclear whether the two knew each other before their encounter, but property records show the drivers were neighbors who lived just a few streets away.
The two drivers then turned onto El Toro Road, where Williams allegedly “slammed on the brakes.” According to the complaint, when Williams sped up and began blocking O'Malley's pass, O'Malley stopped and attempted to pass Williams on the left.
“[Williams] “He continued to pull the large Escalade in front of Kayden and continued to press the brake,” the complaint states.
The two pulled over, but Williams walked up to O'Malley, who remained in the car, kicked the golf ball and yelled insults at him, according to the complaint.
When O'Malley got out of his car to take a photo of Williams' license plate, the trustee “lunged at Kayden and knocked his cell phone out of his hand,” according to the complaint.
Williams allegedly threw O'Malley to the ground, climbed on top of her and strangled her. Williams allegedly left the scene and O'Malley was left in the roadway.
O'Malley was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, according to an Orange County Fire Department incident report.
The lawsuit claims O'Malley suffered “significant psychological injury” as a result of the incident and is seeking more than $25,000 in damages.
