Homeless man arrested in possible anti-gay assault on owner of a pink poodle

HILLSBORO, Ore. — police arrested a homeless man early Saturday morning who reportedly flipped a U-turn, jumped out of his vehicle and assaulted a man with a wrench in the Tanasbourne area Friday afternoon.

Investigators said the suspect, George Allen Mason, 22, uttered an anti-gay slur while attacking the Beaverton man, 26, who was with his boyfriend walking their poodle.

The dog’s fur is dyed pink and likely caught the driver’s attention, said Lt. Mike Rouches, Hillsboro police spokesman.

About 3:30 p.m., police responded to a call that the couple were confronted by a man driving a dark blue Land Rover in a Petco parking lot.

Rouches said the suspect then went back to his vehicle, pulled out a wrench and struck the same man in the back of the head. Police said the man they later identified as Mason then jumped back into his late 1990s Land Rover and left.

Police spotted the Land Rover in the parking lot of a Target store early Saturday morning. Police said Mason’s wife, Saraya Gardner, 23, was in the SUV. She was cited for interfering with a police officer because of her reluctance to cooperate with the investigation. Mason was arrested walking nearby.