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Everclear Members Deny Assault Charges

Claim teen threw liquid at stage and spit at group during Texas show but they did not strike back.

A 17-year-old girl whom Everclear singer Art Alexakis and touring guitarist Brian Lehfeldt

are accused of assaulting at a gig two weeks ago had thrown a cup of liquid at the stage

and screamed, cursed and spit at bandmembers, the group said Tuesday.

The teen's lawyer laughed Wednesday (Aug. 11) at the band's response, and said, "I

have at least a dozen witnesses who will contradict that story."

The fan, whom police and the lawyer declined to name because she is a minor, filed

assault charges Friday against Alexakis and Lehfeldt, claiming they attacked her during

an "If You Don't Know, You Don't Go" promotional concert sponsored by Coca-Cola on

July 31 in Austin, Texas. Both men were charged with misdemeanor assault, according

to Kevin Buchman, a spokesperson for the Austin Police Department.

In a statement denying the teenager's claims, Everclear said they were repeatedly hit

with objects from the crowd during the show at the Austin Music Hall, and they warned

the audience to stop or the show would be cut short.

After Alexakis was hit in the face with a cup full of liquid, the group left the stage,

according to the statement, which was attributed to the entire band. At that point, the

group claimed, the girl identified herself as the one who had thrown the cup, and was

escorted to the front of the crowd to be removed from the venue.

"As she neared the stage, she started screaming, cursing and spitting at Art and the

band," the statement said.

According to Everclear's account, a member of the band's road crew, agitated by the

girl's behavior, poured water on her. She grabbed his leg and tried to pull him off the

stage. He pulled his leg free, pushing her away. The statement said the teenager was

ejected, and that police interviewed the band and determined no injury had occurred.

The girl's lawyer, Glynn Turquand, said his client was escorted out of the venue after the

incident and was not hospitalized.

"After investigating the incident and doing interviews, we determined that charges were

warranted and those charges were made," Buchman said. Warrants were issued for both

men Friday, and the pair "would not help their case any" if they fail to turn themselves in,

Buchman said.

Alexakis, whose pop-rock band is known for such hits as "Father of Mine"

(RealAudio excerpt) and "Santa

Monica" (RealAudio excerpt), was charged

with simple assault by contact. Lehfeldt was charged with the more serious crime of

assault with injury.

Buchman would not elaborate on what specific acts the men are accused of, citing an

ongoing investigation.

Bond for Lehfeldt was set at $6,500 and no bond was set for Alexakis. An Aug. 24 court

date has been set for Alexakis, who faces a fine of no more than $475, according to a

representative of the Austin Municipal Court clerk. No court information was available for

Lehfeldt.

Turquand declined to say whether his client plans to pursue a civil suit against

bandmembers or the club.

In March, an Everclear fan who suffered head and neck injuries in a stagediving accident

at a Nov. 11, 1997, show in Boston settled with the group for an undisclosed amount of

money. Tameeka Messier, who was 23 at the time of the accident, was hurt when a New

England Patriots football player leaped from the stage of the Paradise nightclub. Messier

had surgery to remove two herniated disks from her neck and to fuse three vertebrae.

The Boston Globe reported shortly before the settlement that Messier's lawyers

were discussing a $1.2 million deal with the band, the club and two football players.

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