Interracial Couple Assaulted in Great Falls

On the evening of December 4, Ruth and Kevin Foster, an Asian American woman and a black man, were assaulted by two men in Great Falls. According to the affidavit filed by Cascade's county attorney, the Fosters heard racial slurs being yelled at them as they got out of their car in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn. Ruth Foster yelled back at two men who came toward them from across the sreet. One of the men grabbed Ms. Foster, ran her head into the door of his truck, and dragged her toward the back of the vehicle. Kevin Foster came to her aid and hit the man to get him away from Ms. Foster. Mr. Foster was then grabbed from behind, thrown down, and severely beaten by both men.

On January 13, Patrick Schniderhan of Great Falls was charged with felony malicious intimidation. The maximum penalty for this crime is five years in prison and a $50,000 fine. Schniderhan pled innocent and has refused to name the other person who was alleged to have been with him.

The assault was not reported in the Great Falls Tribune until ten days later. Local human rights activists expressed concern about the lack of timely coverage of the incident. In the Tribune article, Sgt. Dan Goyette said the beating did not appear to be racially motivated. However, a second article was published in January after charges were brought against Schniderhan. The headline stated, "Police say felony was race-related; man arrested."