Abortion Practitioner Accused of Running Over 40 Days for Life Pro-Life Signs
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 1, 2010
Reno, NV(LifeNews.com) — Upset by the peaceful pro-life signs that adorn the public sidewalk outside his abortion center, Nevada-based abortion practitioner Damon Stutes reportedly decided to take matters into his own hands. On Friday morning, local pro-life advocates say he aggressively ran over with his vehicle signs that have stood in front of his center for a year.
For the past year, two local pro-life volunteers have stood to pray and encourage women to consider positive abortion alternatives by offering referrals to centers that address the challenges they face due to an unexpected pregnancy.
To assist them in this effort, a local resident who had seen their small hand-held signs donated four large signs that together read “Abortion Stops A Beating Heart.”
Carol Marie Siedenburg of 40 Days for Life Reno informed LifeNews.com about the incident.
"On Friday morning, at approximately 8:10 am, while approaching the abortion site, Dr. Damon Stutes drove off the road and onto the dirt shoulder and ran over two of the signs before crossing back across the street and driving into the driveway of the abortion site property," she said.
"A police report has been filed and will be followed up by their criminal investigators," she added.
Siedenburg says the signs have been helpful in urging women to consider abortion alternatives.
"It was these signs, posted on public property, that recently changed the heart and mind of a local woman facing an unexpected pregnancy," she told LifeNews.com. "Upon seeing these signs, this woman changed her mind and decided not to abort her child."
"It was because of this free speech message that she reconsidered her choice. This free speech, and those who stand and offer silent witness and hope, must be protected from violent attacks from those who disagree," the Reno pro-life advocate continued.
She says Stutes may be frustrated by his failure to get city officials to prevent the pro-life advocates from placing the signs in front of his abortion center.
"As has been evidenced by Dr. Stutes attempts to get the city to prevent us from continuing to display these signs, they are apparently having an effect on him and his business," she said.
Abortion practitioners have frequently used their vehicles to attack pro-life advocates or their signs.
Before his death, Kansas abortion practitioner George Tiller was accused of allegedly hitting a local pro-life advocate with his vehicle as he was leaving his central Kansas abortion center.
In the incident in question, Gietzen says that as he and another man were measuring the driveway to Tiller’s Women’s Health Care Services abortion center to comply with a law keeping pro-life advocates at a certain distance from it.
According to eyewitnesses, Tiller accelerated his Jeep Grand Cherokee directly at them, even turning to continue to aim at them as they began to move out of the way. Tiller’s Jeep struck Gietzen as he attempted to move, bruising his arm and leg, and causing pain for several months.
In October 2008, an Arkansas man nearly hit a group of pro-lifers outside an abortion business. Bryant Shireman was apprehended by police and charged with three counts of aggravated assault following the incident.
Last October, a Georgia abortion practitioner was arrested in a road rage incident that saw him punch a woman in the face.
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