Woman files lawsuit after alleged incident at Wareham Stop & Shop

Aug 5, 2022

A Plymouth County woman has filed a civil lawsuit against two people and their company after they allegedly yelled racist slurs and threatened to run her over in the Wareham Stop & Shop parking lot, a complaint filed on Thursday reads.

The lawsuit alleges assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress and civil rights violation.

According to the complaint filed in Plymouth Superior Court on Thursday, Keri Hendricks was sitting in her car with her 7-year-old daughter in the backseat waiting for her son to come out of the store Sunday afternoon. Hendricks’ town of residence has not been disclosed for safety reasons, per court documents.

Hendricks was stopped in the middle of the parking lot’s driving lane heading toward the store, defendant Tim Newman said. He was reportedly in the passenger seat as his wife Lauren drove their truck, which was stopped behind Hendricks.

After about 30-45 seconds, Tim Newman rolled down his window and yelled “Go” at Hendricks, he said in an interview.

Hendricks, who is Black, then stepped out of her car and approached the truck, Newman said.

The complaint states that Hendricks told the couple that she was waiting for her son and trying to enter an address into her GPS in her car ahead.

Tim Newman says Hendricks was breaking the law by getting out of her car on the road and using her GPS while driving. When she approached the Newmans’ car, which also had the Newmans’ three children in the back, Tim Newman said he didn’t know what to expect.

A tense altercation ensued, in which the complaint alleges and Tim Newman partially confirmed included harsh language and racial slurs.

Lauren Newman allegedly called Hendricks an “ugly f*** monkey [“N”-word] b****.” Tim Newman reportedly told Hendricks to “move your car you dumb monkey [“N”-word],” according to the complaint.

The complaint states that both Newmans used the “N”-word multiple times in yelling at Hendricks.

In an interview on Friday, Tim Newman said the “N”-word was used but the word “monkey” absolutely was not.

“There were words exchanged,” Tim Newmansaid, noting that at one point he told Hendricks to “Move your f****** car.”

According to Tim Newman, Lauren told Hendricks “Listen you Black b****, move” and “I’ll drive through your piece of s*** [car].”

“L Newman repeatedly put the truck in reverse,” the complaint reads, “backed up, and then pulled forward coming very close to Hendricks’ car in a way that caused Hendricks and witnesses who were watching to believe that L Newman was preparing to do what she said she would do — ram Hendricks’ car as her seven-year-old daughter sat inside.”

Newman denied that his wife drove the truck aggressively toward Hendricks’ car and said that she was at least 14 feet behind the car and reversed about 300 feet before turning at the end of the altercation.

Hendricks reportedly told Lauren Newman not to ram into her car, as her young daughter was inside. To this, Lauren Newman allegedly replied “F*** your monkey [“N”-word] child, you b****.”

The plaintiff reportedly asked the Newmans to stop using hurtful terms in speaking with her.

These words were used in the last few seconds of what was about a two-minute altercation, Tim Newman said, as tensions were running high.

The Newmans were on their way to Stop and Shop with their three kids, ages 3, 6 and 11, to pick up some pineapple for chicken shish-kabobs, Tim Newman said. When the couple drove away, his wife was crying, he said.

He detailed a previous incident a few months ago wherein his wife was maced outside the 7-11 that’s just down the road from Stop & Shop

“So when somebody walks up to your driver’s window, you have no clue who they are, what they’re about, you know nothing,” Tim Newman said.

In talking with Wareham Week, he apologized for his language during the incident, during which he said blood pressures and heart rates were running high.

Documents filed with the state’s corporations division lists Tim Newman and Lauren Newman as the president and vice president, respectively, of a corporation titled “Tim Newman as RTK Flooring, Inc.”

Wareham police did not immediately return a request for comment on Friday. Wareham police logs for Sunday list a “road rage” incident reported at 3:10 p.m. on July 31 at the Stop & Shop on Cranberry Highway, though no further details are provided.

Hendricks’ lawyer declined to comment on the case.

The filed complaint asks the court for a jury trial, and ultimately to award Hendricks relief through compensation, attorneys’ fees and other relief.

The Newmans reportedly left after witnesses said they were calling the police and began taking photos of the Newmans’ truck.

In talking with Wareham Week, Tim Newman questioned why people were approaching the incident and threatening to call police.

“It was just so stupid,” he said.