A Wood River Valley man is accused of throwing a punch and a fire extinguisher at the Green Hornet.
Neither one landed, but 49-year-old Howard J. Lape faces a felony charge of aggravated assault for allegedly throwing the 6.5-pound metal extinguisher at Van Williams, star of the 1960s television series "The Green Hornet," in an altercation last week following a minor traffic mishap south of Ketchum.
According to the Blaine County Sheriff's Office, the alleged fracas started at about 4:30 p.m. when the two clipped side mirrors on state Highway 75 just north of East Fork Road. Both were northbound, Lape in a 1970 green Chevrolet pickup and Williams in a 1999 green Ford pickup.
The sheriff's office reported that Lape didn't stop, so Williams followed him with his emergency lights flashing. A few miles later, Lape pulled into a private driveway with Williams still on his tail.
Lape allegedly took a punch at Williams, and then pulled $220 from his wallet and threw it at the former television star, telling him "don't call the cops," according to the sheriff's report. It was too late; Williams had already called them.
But before officers arrived, Lape allegedly returned to his truck and pulled out the fire extinguisher.
"And then he (Lape) got out of his truck and threw the fire extinguisher at (Williams) after threatening to spray him with it," alleged sheriff's spokesman Sgt., Jay Davis.
Deputies questioned both men when they arrived, and Lape was arrested. Deputies also found Lape at fault for the traffic accident and cited him for reckless driving.
In Blaine County Magistrate Court the following day, Lape, who listed a Sun Valley post office box as an address, was arraigned on the aggravated assault charge. The criminal complaint against him alleges use of "a deadly weapon or instrument, to-wit: a fire extinguisher."
A preliminary hearing was set for 9 a.m. on March 14. Public defender Douglas Nelson, of the Roark Law Firm in Hailey, was appointed to represent Lape. Bond was set at $10,000. Lape was in custody on Tuesday.
Williams, now 73, is a longtime Wood River Valley resident who lives north of Hailey.
He stared as a crime fighting superhero in 26 episodes of the "The Green Hornet" television series, which aired in 1966-1967. The late Bruce Lee played his sidekick, Kato.
Williams also made guest appearances on numerous other television shows, including "Gunsmoke," "Mannix," "Mission Impossible," "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "Batman."
Williams is not the only former TV superhero star to call the Wood River Valley home. Adam West, who played the lead role in the 1960s television series "Batman," is also a longtime resident who has a home north of Ketchum.
