August 23, 2023 |
Photo – Old West Bar in Medicine Bow – Courtesy Map Quest
A Medicine Bow bar owner is demanding that the U.S. Marshal’s Office stop using her parking lot to catch speeders through the town. The business owner says the marshal scares away her customers.
At the August 14th Medicine Bow town council meeting, Old West Bar owner Kristie Wickizer submitted a letter to Mayor Bradley Buum. Reading from Wickizer’s letter, Mayor Buum said an incident occurred outside of the Old West Bar on August 8th. Continuing to read the letter, Mayor Buum said a customer was having a phone conversation outside of the bar when Medicine Bow Marshal Roger Hawks and Deputy Marshal Chris Tirpak arrived.
In her written statement, Wickizer said the customer immediately reentered the bar and appeared nervous. Still reading from Wickizer’s letter, Mayor Buum said the bar owner confronted Marshal Hawks about the incident and requested the marshal vacate her property.
Wickizer said the interaction upset her customer and created a negative impression of her business. The bar owner said she felt like the marshal spent a disproportionate amount of time watching Highway 30 from her property compared to other areas of town. Wickizer asked the Medicine Bow town council to address her concerns.
Mayor Buum said he spoke to Marshal Hawks about changing location more often while he and his deputies monitor Highway 30 for speeders. The mayor allowed Marshal Hawks to respond to Wickizer’s letter.
Marshal Hawks said the bar patron appeared to be having an argument with someone. Wickizer said the man was speaking to his wife on the phone. Marshal Hawks said after he and Deputy Tirpak discovered the man was on the phone, they left.
Wickizer said the customer has refused to return to her business following his encounter with the marshal. Marshal Hawks said he did not escalate the situation beyond a brief interview with the man.
Wickizer said the customer hadn’t committed a crime. Marshal Hawks said he agreed, but he wanted to ensure the man wasn’t harassing other bar patrons. The marshal said after conferring with his deputy, both he and Tirpak left the scene.
Marshal Hawks invited the unnamed bar patron to speak to him personally about the matter. Wickizer said she thinks the man felt the encounter was racially motivated.
Marshal Hawks said he and Deputy Tirpak just happened to observe the incident in question. Wickizer said the marshal spends most of his time in the parking lot of the Old West Bar. The bar owner said the marshal’s presence costs her money. Wickizer asked Marshal Hawks if he uses the parking lot at The Virginian to monitor traffic along Highway 30. Marshal Hawks said he moves around the town while on patrol.
Marshal Hawks said his intention wasn’t to interfere with local businesses. The marshal said he parks in the Old West Bar to catch drivers speeding through town. Marshal Hawks said he and his deputies will move to the other side of Highway 30 in the future. Mayor Buum told Wickizer to return to the town council if she wasn’t satisfied with the marshal’s concession.
