LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A woman who was arrested in September for pointing a gun at a man driving down Hurstbourne Parkway during a protest march will not face charges.
The Jefferson County Grand Jury on Wednesday declined to indict Robin Marie Crandal Ash, 35, on a first-degree wanton endangerment charge stemming from the Sept. 18 demonstration, Jefferson Commonwealth's Attorney Tom Wine said in a news release.
In the days following the march, protesters came to Ash's defense, saying she pointed her gun at a man driving a dark gray Ford Taurus in self-defense after he pulled out a gun and pointed it at demonstrators near his car.
Wine said the Commonwealth Attorney’s office recommended Ash not be indicted on this charge because "there was insufficient evidence to rebut claims of self-protection and protection of others beyond a reasonable doubt."
"Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 503 provides the statutory authority for self-protection and protection of others defenses in cases involving the use of physical force or deadly physical force," Wine said in the news release.
Police originally reported that Ash had been charged with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, but she received a full pardon from former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear on Dec. 7, 2015, according to documents provided by Wine's office on Wednesday.
Louisville Metro Police on Sept. 19 released video footage of the interaction between Ash and the man from a police helicopter circling over the march. The helicopter video, which contains no audio, begins with a wide shot of protesters who had gathered for a rally at Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s office marching down Hurstbourne Parkway. Moments later, the Ford Taurus heading the opposite direction as the march pulls into a turning lane and comes to a stop near protesters.
Several people approach the car before a woman walks over and pulls out a gun and points it at the driver. After walking away from the vehicle, the woman appears to hand the gun to someone walking next to her in the street.
Sheri Wright, who filmed the march and posted video of the incident on her Facebook page, said during a Sept. 20 news conference at the Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression that the man driving the car "tried to run over protesters." Her video shows the Ford Taurus drive closely past at least two people marching in the street before coming to a stop.
As Wright approaches the car, video shows the man behind the wheel pulling out a gun and pointing it at the demonstrators near his car. Ash is not seen approaching the car in Wright’s video, which is focused on the driver's window.
Wright follows the car as it moves a few feet down the road, and her video shows the man get out of the car and again point a gun at protesters as he inspects a dent in his vehicle. The man then gestures in the direction of police, who are seen moments later moving the crowd away from the vehicle.
A WDRB News crew at the march did not witness the initial exchange between protesters and the driver but captured video of LMPD officers walking the man to his vehicle before following the march down Hurstbourne Parkway.
In a statement after the march, LMPD Sgt. Lamont Washington said no charges were expected to be brought against the driver because "he was the victim" in the incident.
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