FORT WORTH -- A Grapevine man has been found guilty of threatening and yelling racial slurs at an African-American TXU Energy representative who was working in a neighborhood.
The 60-year-old man had commanded his pit bull to kill the worker in the 2010 incident, according to testimony in a two-day trial that ended Tuesday.A six-member jury found Thomas Fann guilty of terroristic threat Tuesday in Tarrant County Criminal Court No. 3.Judge Billy Mills sentenced Fann to one year of probation and ordered him to pay court costs and a fine of $735, complete anger control counseling, take a substance abuse evaluation and perform 24 hours of community service.If he violates probation, he could be sentenced up to 15 days in jail.Terence Bajuk of Bedford, Fann's attorney, declined to comment Thursday.Fann, reached by the Star-Telegram a few days after his arrest in June 2010, said the incident was "a misunderstanding that went way wrong. It was a request for him [the worker] to leave the premises."Prosecutor Benson Varghese said Thursday that the jury sent a clear message."Threats of violence and racial slurs are not tolerated by the citizens of Tarrant County," he said by e-mail. "His sentence will ensure he has a year to reflect on his words and actions."The incident was reported about 6:30 p.m. June 4, 2010, in the 2100 block of Brookgate Drive in Grapevine.The TXU employee, who was 23, told police that he was selling services door to door.He was on a sidewalk when he heard a man say, "There's a [racial slur] on the street," according to Grapevine police reports.Fann continued using derogatory language and threatened to kill the man, police said.He grabbed grabbed the man around the neck, police reports said. The employee pushed him away.According to police reports, the employee never went to Fann's home and tried to avoid him. Witnesses said he didn't do anything to Fann.Neighbors called 911, and a Grapevine police officer went to Fann's home.The female officer smelled alcohol on him, police reports stated.According to reports, Fann told the officer that he feels threatened anytime an African-American is on his property. The report said Fann told her "he was a Southern boy" who doesn't like African-Americans.The officer said Fann reached to touch her breasts during the conversation, police reports said. She backed away and waited for a supervisor, the report ssaid.Fann denied trying to touch the officer and said he doesn't remember using derogatory language.This report includes material from the Star-Telegram archives.Domingo Ramirez Jr., 817-390-7763Twitter: @mingoramirezjrHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
