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KSAT - San Antonio
Local Minister, Helper Charged With
Assault Flowers, Bassitt Allegedly Dragged Girl Behind Van
August 11, 2007
 Pastor
Charles Flowers SAN ANTONIO -- A local minister and one of his
assistants Friday were charged with aggravated assault in connection
with a Nueces County dragging incident.
The accuser is a 15-year-old girl
who attended their summer boot camp for troubled teens.
KSAT's Johanne Lochard reported
that Rev. Charles Flowers is the minister at San Antonio's Faith
Outreach Center. On Friday, he had to answer to a higher authority
-- a magistrate judge.
Flowers was charged with aggravated
assault along with Stephanie Bassitt, 20.
"These are the specific people she
says caused her injuries," said Nueces County Lt. Mike Lowrance.
The injures that the victim's
mother had photos of were suffered while attending the boot camp,
police said, where Flowers served as the self-proclaimed
"commandant" and Bassett acted as training assistant.
The teen said Bassett held her down
while Flowers tied her to the back of a vehicle, Lochard said. She
was dragged after being forced to run behind a moving van.
Bobbi Greer said she witnessed the
dragging. She worked as a cook at the Nueces County Ranch, where the
alleged assault happened in early June.
"Every time she would fall, they
would drag her," Greer said.
Church administrators said they
were "surprised" by the charges. They said the summer boot camp has
been credited with saving hundreds of troubled teens.
None of that matters to Nueces
County investigators, however, who said they believe the camp
leaders crossed the line between tough love and criminal assault.
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