NORTHAMPTON — The morning after the votes were cast and the markets were sent into a frenzy and Donald Trump addressed a stunned electorate, a distraught city man wept inside a Wal-Mart.

“How do I explain to my daughter that we have a sexist bully as our president?” William G. Park, 51, pondered aloud to an employee, according to a police report.

At that point, just after 7 a.m., police said the store employee was doing his best to console the crying man in front of him. That’s when another man, a 67-year-old, attempted to pass by Park who was standing in the middle of the aisle.

“Are you going to move?” the man asked as he navigated around Park, according to police. “Or go to sleep?”

Police said Park responded to the man by striking him in the back of the head “very hard.” The man was knocked to the “end of the aisle,” and “saw stars,” he told police. An ambulance arrived at the North King Street store to evaluate the man, who reported his back and head were hurting, according to the report.

Police arrested Park on a charge of assault and battery on a person older than 60, to which he pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Northampton District Court. He’s scheduled to appear back in court Dec. 3. Park could not be reached for comment.

As he spoke with officers, Park — who was “visibly upset” with his head in his hands — told them he was attempting to swipe at the man’s hat, according to the report, and that he was “very, very sorry,” according to the report. 

Michael Majchrowicz can be reached at mmajchrowicz@gazettenet.com.

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