The boat co-captain at the center of a viral video that captured a wild brawl at a dock in Alabama in August is now facing a misdemeanor assault charge.
Montgomery court records show one of the men accused of assaulting Dameion Pickett during the incident filed a complaint last month saying he hit him first during the chaotic melee.
“I was not trying to fight,” the man wrote in a statement, according to The Associated Press. The complaint was filed on Oct. 26 ahead of the man’s Nov. 16 trial on a misdemeanor assault charge of hitting and kicking the riverboat co-captain.
Pickett is now scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 21.
Dameion Pickett, right, is punched in the head by a man after an argument on Aug. 5, 2023, in Montgomery, Alabama. (Christa)
Five other people were previously charged in the brawl in Montgomery. Two boaters previously pleaded guilty to charges of misdemeanor assault or harassment. Three other people, including a man who was filmed swinging a folding chair, have upcoming court dates.
Pickett told ABC in late September that he was “just doing [his] job” and was “just in shock” when he was attacked.
During an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Pickett said the Harriott II was wrapping up a dinner cruise on Aug. 5 when a “lot of people” were in the way of the vessel arriving at Riverfront Park in Montgomery. Police have said a moored pontoon boat was blocking the larger vessel from docking.
“We could have docked, but we would end up hitting a couple of those boats and be responsible for it,” Pickett told ABC.
BRAWL AT MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA RIVERFRONT DOCK CAUGHT ON VIDEO
The fight escalated after a verbal altercation over the apparent docking of a pontoon boat along the river. (Christa)
The lead deckhand added that “Everybody was yelling, ‘Could you all move your boat?’” before he got off the dinner cruise and, under “the captain’s orders,” went to move the pontoon boat himself just “four steps to the right.”
Pickett said words were exchanged, and he told an individual he was just doing his job.
A viral video taken of the scene then shows a shirtless man running and taking a swing at Pickett, sparking what would become a massive brawl.
“This man just put his hand on me. I was like… it’s my job, but I’m still defending myself at the same time. So, when he touched me, I was like, ‘It’s on,'” Pickett told ABC.
Bystanders intervene and attempt to break up the fight. (Christa)
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“I was still trying to get that boat in while the fight was going on. I was still telling the captain we got to get these folks here safely to this dock,” he added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
