According to City Court, an arrest warrant has been signed for Martin MacDonald, the 57-year-old man from Pittsford accused of shoving a teen runner with autism during a cross-country race.

The warrant is for charges of second degree harassment. MacDonald’s bail has been set at $500 cash or $1,000 bond. It’s unsure if he’s expected to turn himself in at this time.

According to the police report, Chase Coleman, 15, was running in a cross country meet near the Cobbs Hill Reservoir earlier this month, when a man driving behind him stopped, got out of his car, and confronted Coleman.



Coleman’s mother says this traumatized her son, who has autism and is non-verbal.



Coleman wanted to press charges, but a Rochester City Court Judge initially refused to grant an arrest warrant for the suspect, citing missing police paperwork.

Deputy Shephard said that he spoke with Martin MacDonald, and that he admitted to pushing Chase to the ground.

When MacDonald was asked why he did that, he said that he thought Chase was going to mug his wife and take her purse.



When Deputy Shephard asked why he thought that, MacDonald told him that some youths had broken into his car recently and that crossed his mind.