Natalie Meisler, who covers college sports for The Denver Post, has been accused of keying a man’s truck following an argument Sunday over a parking space in Denver. Meisler, 60, was issued a summons for criminal mischief after police investigated the man’s claims.
According to the 7News of Denver, Meisler and Robert Knight, 43, both had designs on the same parking spot. Knight reportedly had his turn signal on to indicate dibs, but Meisler pulled her green Honda Civic into the spot. When Knight beeped and pointed, indicating he had called it for himself, Meisler reportedly flailed her arms and uttered an obscene comment. Nevertheless, she allegedly relented and pulled out of the spot, allowing Knight to park his brand-new silver Toyota Tacoma pickup.
Then came the alleged mischief.
As Knight’s wife shopped in Whole Foods, Knight sat with his children in the back seat of the parked truck, the police report said.
“Knight heard a grinding sound, turned around and saw Meisler ducked down … on the outside of Knight’s vehicle at the right rear passenger door,” the police report said. “He said that he could see her hands moving back and forth near the vehicle.”
Knight later told police he didn’t think Meisler could see people were in the truck because it has tinted rear windows. Knight told police he got out of the truck and demanded, “What the (expletive) are you doing?”
Knight said Meisler replied, “You’ve just assaulted me. It’s your word against mine,” according to the police report. Knight said he never touched the woman. But he added that “his Tacoma was brand new and that he was very upset,” the report said.
Knight called 911 and police said an officer spotted Meisler running east near a Barnes and Noble store. An officer stopped Meisler and said he had to talk to her about a disturbance at the Whole Foods parking lot.
Meisler said a man had been abusive to her, calling her “a stupid (expletives),” and assaulted her by grabbing her upper left arm, the police report said. “Meisler said that she did not know why.”
The officer asked the woman if it was possible that she had a dispute about a parking spot before the situation escalated.
Meisler said that she remembered driving into a parking spot, and that there had been a big truck in the area at the time. Meisler did not say anything about a conflict, the police report said.
After the officer issued Meisler a summons, she asked for a police escort back to her car at Whole Foods, because “this guy was harassing, was stalking” her, the police report said. The officer told Meisler the other driver had already left and she was not given an escort.
Criminal mischief is a misdemeanor if the damage is less than $500. Meisler was contacted by 7News and reportedly refused to comment.