TV technician arrested for allegedly bear-hugging customer at her home
Dish Network subcontractor faces felony charges in Colorado after a customer claims he bear-hugged her during an appointment in her home.
A DISH Network subcontractor was arrested earlier this month after he allegedly hugged a Colorado woman after doing work for her at her home, police said.
Karen Loest said David Novinski put her in a “bear hug” after he had done repair work at her Elbert County home. Loest, 70, told FOX31 Denver on Thursday the repair started out as routine -- but things went awry when it was time to leave.
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“I walked over to see him out, and he proceeded to turn and put me in a bear hug,” Loest told the station, adding that she was terrified. “At that point, I didn’t know whether I was going to be raped … thrown down on the floor,” she said. “He has me pinned — my arms and chest — and it hurt."
Novinski waited for a moment before apologizing and left, she told FOX31.
“We take the safety and security of our community very seriously. We are investigating the allegations regarding this individual who is an employee of an independent third party and not of DISH,” DISH Network spokesman John Hall told the station. “This individual is no longer assigned to any DISH jobs. We remain in contact with the independent third party contractor and our customer.”
Novinski was arrested April 7 and booked into the Elbert County Jail. He faces charges of first-degree criminal trespass and negligent bodily injury to an at-risk person, the station reported, citing court documents.
Mike McCullough, Novinski’s lawyer claimed that his client usually gives hugs and that Loest first called his employer and not the police.
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“Now he’s unemployed, and, in my view, because somebody didn’t take the necessary steps to complete an investigation on this,” McCullough told FOX31.
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