Police: Man punched, shoved teen girls dressed as zombies promoting dance production
By Pat Reavy - KSL.com
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PARK CITY — Park City police say five teen girls dressed as zombies were promoting Odyssey Dance Theatre's annual production of "Thriller" by scaring pedestrians on Main Street.
But when the girls tried to scare Drew Stephen Hyde, he responded by punching and shoving the girls, according to a Summit County Jail booking report. Hyde, 56, of Henderson, Nev., was arrested and later charged in 3rd District Court with five counts of child abuse, a class A misdemeanor.
The odd incident happened on Sept. 22. The girls, who were between the ages of 13 and 16, were outside the Egyptian Theatre, 328 Main in Park City.
"All five victims were with the dance company Odyssey Thriller and were playing zombies outside of the Egyptian Theater," the report states.
As Hyde walked by with his family, he told a 14-year-old girl "if you touch my daughter I will punch you," according to the report. He "then punched her on the left side of her face," the report states.
A 16-year-old girl told police she watched Hyde "shove two other girls down the stairs then come and 'shoved my back down the stairs,'" according to the report.
Hyde told another 16-year-old girl, "if you (expletive) touch me I will knock you out" before he grabbed her "by the back of the neck and shoved her down the stairs," the report states.
A 15-year-old girl said Hyde told her "'if any of you touch me I'll (expletive) you up' and then proceeded to grab her by the back of the neck and pushed her down the stairs,'" while the fifth girl, 13, gave a similar story that Hyde "walked up to her and told her if she touched him he would 'effing' knock her out" before he proceeded to punch the girl in the chest, the report states.
"All female victims were checked by medical and no major injuries were noted except bruises. A photo was taken of the suspect and he was later identified as Drew Hyde," the report states.
Hyde was scheduled to make an initial appearance in court last Thursday, according to court records.
Odyssey founder and artistic director Derryl Yeager said in a prepared statement that he was aware of the incident.
"It is unfortunate, and we are sorry that it occurred. We don't know the facts or the details of the case but, since it is a criminal matter being taken before the court, we don't want to speculate and potentially undermine the process. However, we have full faith that the criminal process will take its course, and justice will be done."
