Police: 78-year-old man kicked officer in groin
Family of Mong Kim Tran says he is a gentle man who was misunderstood by Garden Grove police.
By DEEPA BHARATH
The Orange County Register
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GARDEN GROVE – Mong Kim Tran was returning home from his wife's grave site, as far as his family knew.

Tran's daughter-in-law, Kim Le, says the 78-year-old grandfather, who came to this country from Vietnam in 1991, spends most of his waking hours in church or at the cemetery.

"This is his life," Le said. "This is the loving, caring man we know."

But Garden Grove police say that Wednesday morning, when they stopped Tran for doing 52 mph in a 35 mph zone, Tran became combative. According to a statement released by the Garden Grove Police Department, Tran refused to comply with officers' instructions to remain in the vehicle, assumed a fighting stance, and punched and kicked a police officer in the groin twice.

Family members say Tran was merely misunderstood by police because of his inability to communicate in English. Tran suffered bruises, cuts, back injuries and has been emotionally devastated by the incident, they say.

Tran was stopped for the speeding violation at about 11:35 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Garden Grove Boulevard and Palm Avenue, according to the police report. Police say Tran "became agitated" when he was stopped. He was told more than once to get back in the vehicle and eventually complied, officials said.

The officer then told Tran that he was going to cite him for speeding and asked him to sign the citation. According to the police report, Tran told the officer: "I don't believe you – I am from Vietnam."

The officer then showed the elderly man the radar gun, which displayed Tran's speed – 52 mph. Police said that at this point, Tran became more agitated and stepped within 3 inches of the officer's face screaming at him. When the officer told him to back off, Tran assumed a fighting stance and struck the officer twice with a closed fist, once on the shoulder and once on the chest, and kicked him twice in the groin, the report said. He remained combative as the officer took him to the ground and handcuffed him.

Police said Tran had minor abrasions on his face and wrist and was taken to the hospital as a precaution because of his age. Tran was arrested on suspicion of assault and battery on a police officer and cited for speeding.

The report stated that individuals who assault police officers are usually booked into the Orange County jail, but that the officer chose to release him from the hospital with a citation because of his age.

Tran's daughter-in-law, Kim Le, says police officers seem to have misunderstood her father-in-law, who speaks very little English. She said Tran, who was driving her car at the time, got out of the car and tried to show the officers his license, registration and other papers.

"But they thought he was getting out of the car to assault them," she said. "My father-in-law is old. In our culture, you stand up to show respect. (Tran) got off the car to show respect for the officers, but they thought he was going to attack them."

Le said Mong told her and other family members that the officers pushed him to the ground and kicked him. He has a bruise on his face from being pushed to the asphalt and has suffered back injuries, she said.

"He is feeling pain all over his body," Le said.

She described Tran as a "very gentle person" who is always kind to others. He spends most of his days at the Viet Light Church in Garden Grove where Le and her husband, Nguyen Tran, are pastors.

Family members say they cannot imagine that Tran assaulted the officers, Le said. They have not thought about taking legal action against the police department, but are still wondering about the incident, she said.

"His grandchildren are very upset about this," Le said. "We just want answers. Why would the police beat up an elderly man?"