A Colorado judge has decided not to lower the bond for a Marine veteran accused of attacking a television reporter in what authorities are calling a racially motivated crime. The incident took place in Grand Junction, Colorado, and has left the local community shaken.
Patrick Egan, a former Marine, faces serious charges, including second-degree assault with intent to cause bodily harm by strangulation, committing a bias-motivated crime, and harassment involving ethnic intimidation. These charges stem from an attack on Ja’Ronn Alex, a reporter of Pacific Islander descent, who works at a local media station.
During a court hearing at the Mesa County Justice Center, Judge Jennilynn Lawrence of Colorado’s 21st Judicial District not only denied Egan’s request to lower his $20,000 bond but also said she had considered raising it due to the severity of the allegations. Addressing Egan directly, she expressed her disapproval of his actions.
“I was fully prepared to increase your bond today,” Judge Lawrence told Egan. “These are not behaviors we expect from Marines, and they are certainly not acceptable in our community.”
Egan’s attorney, public defender Ruth Swift, argued that he has been battling mental health issues for over a decade and assured the court he would seek proper treatment. Several of Egan’s friends and family members attended the hearing to show their support. One of his friends, Ben Wilson, said he traveled more than 100 miles to be there and described Egan as a “brother.”
“Patrick has been like a brother to me for the last five years,” Wilson said. “When I heard what happened, it didn’t seem like him. I’ve seen him struggle before, and we’ve helped each other through tough times.”
Prosecutors strongly opposed lowering Egan’s bond, pointing to the troubling nature of the allegations. They also highlighted that Alex, the victim, was against any bond modification. Judge Lawrence ultimately decided to keep the bond unchanged. However, she imposed strict conditions if Egan were to be released. He is prohibited from owning firearms and must stay at least 1,000 feet away from Alex, including avoiding any locations where Alex might be working.
“If you see reporters, you should probably remove yourself from the area,” the judge added.
The attack reportedly occurred on December 18, when Egan was working as a taxi driver for Sunshine Rides. Authorities say he followed Alex for about 40 miles to the media station where Alex works. When Alex arrived at the station, Egan allegedly tackled and began choking him. Several of Alex’s colleagues intervened and restrained Egan until the police arrived.
Alex later told investigators he believed the attack was racially motivated. According to the probable cause affidavit, Egan demanded to see Alex’s ID and shouted, “Are you even a U.S. citizen? This is Trump’s America now! I’m a Marine, and I took an oath to protect this country from people like you!”
Surveillance footage reportedly captured part of the incident. Alex, a native of Detroit, Michigan, and a recent graduate of Clemson University, said he had been reporting on a story before returning to the station, where the confrontation occurred.
Egan is scheduled to appear in court again on January 16. For now, the community remains focused on the case, which has sparked conversations about bias, accountability, and mental health support.
