DENVER – A Colorado television technician is facing felony charges for allegedly hugging a customer tightly.
Karen Loest told KDVR-TV that David Novinski, a subcontractor for Dish Network, gave her a “bear hug,” pinning her arms and chest painfully, as she was showing him out after he completed his work this month.
The 70-year-old former sheriff’s deputy said she feared she might be raped. She said she pushed him away and told him to leave and he waited a while and apologized before leaving.
He is charged with trespassing and causing bodily injury to an at-risk adult.
His attorney, Mike McCullough, said Novinski often hugs people and gave Loest a three-second hug before leaving. He said Loest didn’t say anything about being injured when she called Novinski’s boss. McCullough says he will fight the charges.
