Philip Kinstler, who has used a wheelchair for more than 30 years, told The Washington Post that he tapped on a neighboring vehicle's window to tell ask the female driver if she was aware she was parked in a handicapped-accessible parking space.
"I thought I would ask her kindly if they could not park there again, in a handicapped spot," Kinstler, 52, told The Post.
The woman's partner, identified as Jimmie Tiger, can be seen on the surveillance video confronting Kinstler about the exchange in the parking lot, attempting to wheel Kinstler away and then throwing him to the ground.
"I was scared. I've never been that scared in my entire life," Kinstler told WPIX, adding, "The thing that hurt me the most is that people just stood there. They did nothing. All they had to do is stand in front of my wheelchair."
Watch the full interview here.
According to The Post, Kinstler suffered a broken wrist in the attack, and Tiger has been charged with attempted kidnapping and assault.
About the Author