Patrick Propson Convicted

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080617/APC0101/806170480/1979/APClife

Appleton Post-Crescent [WI]

7 June 2008

'Urban legend' beating leads to probation
Man who lied about assault to perform community service

By Dan Wilson

APPLETON -- A Kaukauna man who borrowed an urban legend to explain a beating was convicted Monday of obstructing an officer.

Patrick R. Propson, 23, 624 Alyssa St., was placed on probation for a year by Outagamie County Circuit Judge Mitch Metropulos. The judge ordered him to perform 100 hours of community service and write a letter of apology to the Fox Valley Metro Police Department, which serves Kimberly and Little Chute.

"This is an aggravated obstructing case," said Metropulos. "This case perpetuated a lie to police and police acted on that. And you just kept that lie going."

On Sept. 26, Propson, who was hospitalized with injuries that were the obvious result of a beating, told police that he was driving on U.S. 41 near the juncture with State 441, and was followed closely by a vehicle flashing its headlights. Propson said he pulled off on to the shoulder of the highway to see what was amiss.

As he got out of his car, three males got out the other car and attacked him and beat him with a baseball bat, Propson told police. [...]

Gang Initiation (Headlight Flashing), Florida

http://www.local10.com/news/15787075/detail.html

WPLG-TV [Miami, FL]
3 April 2008

Hoax E-Mail Says Gangs Killing People In Cars

Broward County Gang Unit Investigates Rumor

An e-mail circulating the country has recipients worried about driving at night. It warns about a deadly initiation game being played by "The Bloods" street gang.

The e-mail claims new recruits are being ordered to drive around with their lights off. When another driver flashes their headlights, as a courtesy, the gang wannabes are supposed to follow that car and kill everyone inside.

One version of the official looking e-mail bears the Miami-Dade County logo and appears to be sent by a Building Code Compliance Supervisor named Jose Lezcano. [...]

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080422/COLUMNIST36/804220310/-1/newssitemap

Herald-Tribune [Sarasota, FL]
22 April 2008

Reliable source on crime? Not exactly

Tom Lyons

[...] At a forum for Republican candidates for Sarasota County sheriff, held at the Sarasota Yacht Club [on April 18th], a woman in the audience told the speakers she had heard, through contacts in the school system, that there is now a lot of frightening gang activity in the Sarasota area. She told a particularly awful horror story of girls being gang raped and beaten to force them into joining gangs.

"You're right," responded Larry Dunklee. "That is happening."

Dunklee is the second in command in the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, and is hoping his experience and in-house knowledge will get him elected sheriff as boss Bill Balkwill steps down.

In his answer to the woman, Dunklee went on to warn the gathering that gangs could be a threat to them, too. He warned that if another driver ever flashes his headlights, they should never flash back because it is a gang thing. Gang members will turn and chase the car and beat the occupants, or worse.

The crowd buzzed with this shocking news. [...]

Update: Patrick Propson Charged

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080228/APC0101/802280589/1979

Appleton Post-Crescent [WI]
28 February 2008

Kaukauna man who reported beating charged with lying to police

By John Lee
Post-Crescent staff writer

APPLETON — A 22-year-old man whose tale of a roadside beating was remarkably similar to a common urban legend has been charged with lying to police.

Patrick R. Propson, 624 Alyssa St., Kaukauna, told police who were called to an emergency room where he was being treated Sept. 26 that three men attacked him after signaling him to pull over on U.S. 41. [...]

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080312/APC0101/803120545/1979/frontpage

Appleton Post-Crescent [WI]
12 March 2008

Urban legend tale lands Kaukauna man on trial

APPLETON -- A man whose tale of a roadside beating paralleled a common urban legend is headed to trial for allegedly lying to police.

Patrick R. Propson, 22, 624 Alyssa St., Kaukauna, did not appear Tuesday in Outagamie County Circuit Court for his initial appearance on two counts of obstructing police.

His attorney, Sarah Kons, entered not-guilty pleas on his behalf, and a trial was scheduled for May 20-21. [...]

Gang Initiation Rumor, New Zealand

http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/3744.html

New Zealand Police

News Release
22 February 2008

Gang initiation email a hoax.

An email warning drivers not to flash their headlights at oncoming cars as they could become a victim of gang initiation, is a hoax say police.

The email headed: "Don't flash headlights at any car with no lights on" states police officers working with the DARE programme have issued the warning.

"This email is a typical urban myth which has gained momentum," says acting National Crime Manager, Detective Superintendent Malcolm Burgess.

An initial email began circulating about two weeks telling drivers that if they flashed their lights they would become the target of the gang initiation which involved shooting and killing everyone in the car.

"The email warning has morphed in the last few days to take on a New Zealand context and names local Auckland gangs who will apparently be conducting these rites this weekend, " said Mr Burgess.

"The email even states now that police are reluctant to release the information for fear that the gangs will change their tactics and dates. This is complete rubbish"

Mr Burgess said the email appeared to have originated in America. He said anyone receiving the e-mail should delete it as it is a hoax.

Man Claiming Highway 41 Beating Gets Arrested

http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=7239857&nav=menu24_1

WBAY-TV [Green Bay, WI]
20 October 2007

Man Claiming Highway 41 Beating Gets Arrested

Police: Man Lied About Highway 41 Beating

By Jason Zimmerman

A story told by a Kaukauna man who said he was pulled over along Highway 41 and beaten turns out to be a lie. Patrick Propson, 22, was arrested late Friday afternoon on two counts of obstructing justice. [...]

[Report updates October 5th account (q.v.) of a man who claimed that, while driving on U.S. 41, he stopped his car after the car behind him kept flashing its lights. Three men in the following car then supposedly beat him up. The account, noted a couple of reporters, is similar to "a common urban legend...in which gang members lure victims by flashing their headlights at them[.]"]

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071019/APC0101/71019175/1979

Appleton Post-Crescent [WI]
19 October 2007

Man who claimed he was beaten along U.S. 41 arrested

Gang Initiation Rumor, Philippines (2)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=95099

The Inquirer [Philippines]
17 October 2007

PNP probes Cebu firm for spreading gang hoax

By Alcuin Papa
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) is investigating the possible liability of a Cebu company for circulating a warning, through email and text messages, about a street gang patrolling city streets to randomly kill motorists that turned out to be a hoax. [...]

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2007/10/18/oped/editorial.html

Sun.Star [Philippines]
18 October 2007

Editorials: Gang preying on motorists

[An editorial speculating on the causes of the gang-initiation rumor mentions that in the 1980's someone's death sparked rumors of "fraternity recruits being told to kill any person wearing white to test their resolve."]

Gang Initiation Rumor, Philippines

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=94564

The Inquirer [Philippines]

15 October 2007

`Bloods gang' yarn a hoax, says PNP

By Thea Alberto

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said the 'Bloods' gang, which rumors circulating through text messaging, emails, and blog posts is purportedly bent on killing drivers at night as part of their members' initiation, does not exist. [...]

Car Lights Flashed, Beating Ensued

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071005/APC0101/710050642

Appleton Post-Crescent [WI]
5 October 2007

Kaukauna man says roadside attack no urban legend
By Ed Lowe and John Lee
Post-Crescent staff writers

LITTLE CHUTE -- A 22-year-old Kaukauna man concedes his account of a highway robbery on U.S. 41 has the ring of an urban legend, but there's nothing mythical about his injuries. The attack victim spoke to The Post-Crescent on Thursday night, eight days after he said he was jumped by three white males after stopping his car on the shoulder of northbound U.S. 41. The car behind him repeatedly flashed its lights, leading him to think there was a problem with the car's taillights. When he stopped to check, three white males emerged from the car from behind and the beating began, he said. [...]

http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=7176040

WBAY-TV [Green Bay, WI]
5 Oct 2007

Man Reports Being Beaten on Highway 41