Defense attorney Richard Hagler attacked with skateboard, sent to hospital

Columbus attorney Richard Hagler was assaulted by a skateboarder at Heritage Park Sunday afternoon, sending him to the hospital, police reported. The attack prompted the attorney’s wife to offer a $1,000 reward for the person who helps find the suspect.

Hagler, 57, saw about 10 skateboarders between 12 and 15 years old at the park at Front Avenue and Seventh Street around 3 p.m., said Tasca Hagler, Richard’s wife, in an e-mail.

Hagler approached the group and told them to stop using the park for skateboarding, pointing out the new facility by Golden Park, his wife said. Hagler has told people in the past to stop skateboarding in the park, and they’ve left. On Sunday, however, one person in the group “verbally assaulted” him, his wife said. Another then took his skateboard and hit the attorney in the head, she added.

“I heard him screaming and ran to find him in a large pool of blood,” his wife said in her e-mail. “He is on blood thinners and blood was gushing from his eye, his nose and his mouth. His shirt and pants were splattered with blood. I called the police who summoned an ambulance. At the hospital, tests revealed Richard has a fractured cheekbone and he had to have 15 stitches to close the large gash on his temple which is so close to his eye it is only by God’s grace Richard did not lose his right eye.”

Tasca Hagler said she’s offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the apprehension of the suspect.