By: Kaitlyn Good, Staff Writer
No charges were filed against Just Wing It founder Chris Behney after police say he used a racial slur against LVC student Ricky Bugg, Jr.
According to Bugg, a junior business administration major, at about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22, he entered the establishment intending to order wings as he had done regularly, nearly three times a week, since attending Lebanon Valley College. Bugg placed his order and waited at the counter with a friend. It was then that the owner approached them.
“A guy came out with a beer in one hand and a stack of money in the other hand and called me a n—ger,” Bugg said.
Bugg admits that he initially laughed at the incident, thinking the man was making some kind of joke but intended to leave the restaurant and to eat elsewhere. Bugg told La Vie the racial slur was uttered twice.
“We exchanged some words and I flipped some chairs and left,” Bugg said. “I left and went to Friendship House. There were seven of us total that went back looking for an apology. The cops were there when we got back.”
Behney contacted Annville Police who responded to his report of a disturbance at the restaurant.
Bugg was interviewed by police at that time. He said police told him this type of behavior happens a lot with him, in reference to Behney.
Annville Police investigated the case for a week. Police Chief Bernard Dugan said that according to Pennsylvania code, utterances of racial slurs do not constitute a crime unless another punishable crime simultaneously occurred. Following review of the case with District Attorney Dave Arnold, Dugan said that no criminal charges will be filed against Behney due to the lack of evidence supporting the incident as refusal of service.
Chief Dugan reiterated that this incident is not indicative of Annville or the LVC community.
“The campus has been really supportive of me,” Bugg said. “I want justice. I would never go back.”
Bugg said nothing like this has ever happened to him in Annville and does not believe the actions of one represent the community at large, nor the values of the College.
“Lebanon Valley College remains committed to our core values of inclusiveness, equality, and kindness,” Bob Mikus, Associate Dean of Student Affairs said. “As evidenced during our recent Symposium on Inclusive Excellence, we will continue to reinforce and affirm those values.”
Police encourage witnesses to come forward with any additional information. The case is closed at this time.
Just Wing It was closed for several days, but has since reopened. The owners have not returned our calls for comment.
K. GOOD
keg005@lvc.edu