PITTSBORO — A Stokes County man was arrested by the Stokes County Sheriff’s Department on charges resulting from a melee near the former site of Pittsboro’s Confederate soldier monument.
An arrest warrant was issued for Tommy Dale Parnell on June 26 following the incident where he used a Confederate flag as a weapon which resulted in the injury of a woman. He was apprehended on July 1.
On June 25, a group of pro-Confederate protesters and counter-protesters clashed in the parking lot adjacent to Beggers and Choosers, located on the northeast quadrant of the circle in downtown Pittsboro, where pro-Confederate protesters had parked. As a result of video evidence, Parnell was charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious bodily injury and four misdemeanor charges including assault on a female, inciting a riot, disorderly conduct and impeding traffic.
On the video — widely circulated on social media — protesters shouted at each other, with counter-protesters using a bullhorn.
Several counter-protesters stood in front of one the pro-Confederate’s vehicle while counter-protesters tried to urge them to let them leave. As the counter-protesters moved away, a fight broke out with pro-Confederates using their flags — some of which were attached to hockey sticks — as weapons. A woman was injured in the scuffle, suffering lacerations to her face.
According to the Stokes County Jail, Parnell was arrested, but had been released from custody. He is awaiting his first day in court scheduled for July 20 in Chatham County District Court.
Casey Mann can be reached at CaseyMann@Chathamnr.com.