Michael Hankins

March 11, 1998

Page 2

arguing with three Flying J Truck Plaza employees. He indicated he was able to identify them as

employees because of the uniforms they were wearing. He believes one was a shift manager and

another individual worked on the fuel island. He advised that all of the time they were arguing,

Mr. Hankins kept heading toward his truck. He advised when Mr. Hankins got between his truck

and Tommy Waldner’s truck, all three men jumped on Mr. Hankins and knocked him on the

ground. One man was sitting on his knees punching him. All during the course of the

altercation, Mr. Hankins was trying to get back to his truck to get away from his assailants. He

thought that Mr. Hankins was punched approximately fifteen or twenty times while he was on the

ground. He advised that he was all skinned up and his eye was cut and his lip was bruised. He

believes the manager had called the police about having the vechicles towed. The police drove up

while the truck stop employees were still in the process of hitting Mr. Hankins. It is his opinion

that the police or sheriffs deputy arrested the manager and the two other truck stop employees

who assaulted Mr. Hankins. He advised that they then called 911 and an ambulance came and

provided treatment to Mr. Hankins. He thought Mr. Hankins was transported to the hospital. He

advised that it was apparent that Mr. Hankins had been injured.

Mr. Waldner advised that there were two other witnesses other than he and his girlfriend, but he

was unsure of their names. He thought the fight occurred around 9:30 PM, but he was unsure of

the exact time. He indicated that at no time during the course of the confrontation between the

truck stop employees and Mr. Hankins did Mr. Hankins make any attempt to start a confrontation

During the whole time he witnessed the incident, Mr. Hankins kept saying he wanted to get back

to his truck and leave the area. Mr. Waldner did not see either Mr. Hankins or the employees

inside of the truck stop. He indicated that the truck stop has a reputation of being very rude to

customers. He advised that he could identify the manager of the truck stop as one of the

assailants and could also identify the employee who was in charge of the fuel island who also

was one of the assailants.

I was unable to take a recorded statement over the phone at that time because the telephone

reception was extremely poor.

On 3-7-98, I again made contact with Mr. Waldner and secured his recorded statement. I also

secured the recorded statement of the other witness, Dana Danell Dean, date of birth 3-7-51,

address XXXX Highway 78, West Tallatoosa, Georgia 30176. telephone number (770) 574-XXXX.

She also advised that she is employed by Kennesaw Transportation, Highway 411 Northeast,

Rydell, Georgia, telephone number 1-800- 626-6179. She advised that she is her boyfriend,

Tommy Waldner’s driving partner.

Ms. Dean advised that she came out of the truck stop before her boyfriend, Tommy Waldner,

She indicated that she heard hollering over by the fuel island and she noted three or four

employees around a patron. She advised that she proceeded back to the truck. She advised that

she heard the patron saying that he wanted to get back to his truck. He had his hands in the air