By Joe Johnson
A grand jury recently indicted an Athens man on a felony assault charge for allegedly attacking Michael Davenport, a beloved local street artist with no arms who for decades has created Georgia Bulldog sketches with colored markers that he holds in his mouth.
The attack on the 52-year-old Athens native occurred the afternoon of June 23 on Lumpkin Street, when downtown was hosting the annual AthFest music and arts festival.
According to police, 29-year-old Darian Lorenzo Kenney of Hickman Drive was standing behind Davenport as he was sketching and without provocation, he pulled a bandana over his face and smashed a glass bottle on the back of Davenport’s head. Davenport, who was knocked unconscious, fell face-first on the sidewalk and was treated treated for a head and a concussion.
The attack was witnessed by many bystanders and it was recorded by a video surveillance camera.
Kenney was subsequently identified as the attacker by Athens-Clarke County police and he was arrested on July 3.
The grand jury charged Kenney with aggravated assault on Aug. 6, according to an indictment filed Aug. 6 in Clarke County Superior Court.
Kenney on Tuesday continued to be held at the Clarke County Jail in lieu of a $3,000 bond.
He is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 23.