http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...y_of_rage.html
Balloon boy dad Richard Heene has long history of rage, scuffles with the law: court docs
BY Nancy Dillon In Los Angeles and Samuel Goldsmith In New York
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Tuesday, October 20th 2009, 4:21 PM
Duplechian for News
Hot-tempered "balloon boy" dad Richard Heene once got so angry he trashed a Volkswagon while fighting with the car's owner, according to newly released court records.
Heene was duking it out with a man named Benito Ortiz in Los Angeles in April 1997 when he took his rage out on Ortiz's 1987 Volkswagon, records released Tuesday show.
He caused thousands of dollars worth of damage - and was convicted of vandalism and disturbing the peace.
Heene was sentenced to 30 days in jail, but served just four and spent the remaining time on house arrest.
He was on probation for two years following the dust-up. Ortiz could not be reached for comment.
"Clearly, from all indications, Mr. Heene has somewhat of a temper," Larimer County (Colo.) Sheriff Jim Alderden said over the weekend when he announced the dad would face felony charges for a stunt that fooled the nation.
He and wife Mayumi told police that their 6-year-old son, Falcon, had climbed aboard a homemade balloon, which broke free and took off.
A 50-mile, three-county rescue operation ensued, but when the balloon finally landed, there was no child inside.
Authorities believe the flying-saucer flap was a hoax and Falcon's folks knew he was safe at home the whole time.
LA court records also show that Richard Heene took out a restraining order against an "ex-employee" in 2006, claiming the man "eroneously (sic) reported me to the the Department of Children and Family Services."
In the request, Heene wrote that Matt Wineroth had reported him to the authorities after he was accused of stealing from the Heene family.
"Stop falsely reporting derogatory information to agencies who have an interest to conduct investigations resulting in wasting my time," Richard Heene wrote in the 2006 restraining order application.
Wineroth could not be reached for comment. In Colorado, where the family moved after living in California, the sheriff said police have responded to the Heene house at least twice in the past year, including a possible domestic violence incident in February.
Child protective services are set to investigate the family, the sheriff said, adding that Mayumi Heene declined officials' suggestion on Saturday that she go to a safe house. The sheriff said officials talked to her "about domestic violence, about her safety, about her children's safety."
Lee Christian, Mayumi Heene's lawyer, told ABC News on Tuesday that Richard Heene alone should be charged in the hoax because of testimony that indicates Mayumi is meek and subservient to her husband.
"I can't comment on the specific allegations here, but if those statements are indeed true, then the district attorney needs to seriously think about whether to charge Mrs. Heene in this case," Christian said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration announced its own investigation into the balloon flight.
Heene and his wife could face federal charges from the FAA or FBI in addition his local legal trouble.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...#ixzz0UX67LwKB
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