Fights breaks out at basketball court, woman believes gang involvement

Story by Senior Investigative Reporter Shannon Taylor

On Oct. 1, Off. Thomas Travis received a call in reference to 20+ people fighting on the basketball court on West Park St. in Dresden. Upon his arrival he spoke with Julie Trullinger who stated that she was assaulted by a bunch of juveniles. After speaking with the juveniles, one stated that she was slapped in the face by Trullinger, and that after she was slapped, a big fight ensued. Travis charged Trullinger with simple assault.

Trullinger told the Press that a gang in Dresden had a lot to do with what happened. “They were driving by my house and yelling at my son, who is 14 years old.” Trullinger stated that her son asked if he could go play basketball at the courts because no one was over there and Trullinger told him he could. After an hour passed, her son comes back and tells her that he was jumped by some girls and then jumped by the boys who were previously driving by their house.

Trullinger saw them pulling out and went to the court to talk with the people there to find out what was going on. She said she tried to speak with one of the girls and the girl threatened to fight her. Then Trullinger said the boys pulled back up-the ones that were driving by her house and the same ones that her son said jumped them.

Trullinger said some of the kids there were around 16-17 years old, but some of them were older-over 18 years old. She said they all started screaming and cussing and making threats toward her son. Trullinger said that they were all talking about the gang they were a part of.

Trullinger said she got her son back in the house because there were too many people at the basketball court, and she said they needed to call the police. When Trullinger started to leave, two girls started following behind her. She said that she told them to back up because she felt threatened. She said more girls and boys pulled up and jumped out and one girl got in front of her.

Trullinger said that at this point she was very scared. She said that she was surrounded by over 20 people, and she thought, “This is going to hurt.” The girl in front of her slapped her glasses off her face and then another girl pulled her hair. Trullinger said she grabbed the girl who pulled her hair by her hair and got her down to try and get her off.

After the fight broke out, Trullinger said she was stabbed in her thumb, she had numerous bruises and claw marks covering her entire back as well as knots on her shoulder and neck. Trullinger showed the Press pictures and videos of the marks on her, which she sought medical treatment for. She had to receive stiches in her thumb.

Trullinger said that she wasn’t trying to hurt anyone-she was just trying to defend herself. She said that someone called the police, and everyone started leaving.

Trullinger stated that at her first court hearing that she was told that if she didn’t plead guilty that her sentence would be changed from simple assault to aggravated assault. She also stated that it changed from her “slapping” to her “choking” a juvenile. When the Press spoke with District Attorney Colin Johnson, he stated that his office didn’t know anything about the charge being changed and the charge on the court docket remained at simple assault.

At Trullinger’s last court hearing on Oct. 18, her case was postponed, and she stated that “they are going to try to get a better deal on the table.”

The Press spoke with Chief of Police Christopher Crocker regarding alleged “gangs” in Dresden and he stated that he is not aware of any gangs in Dresden. He also stated that Trullinger was banned from all games and from the basketball court by Judge Tommy Moore.