Family involved in alleged assault with WCPO weatherman's family tells their side of story

The family involved in an alleged physical fight last month with a family member of a prominent Cincinnati weatherman is seeking justice.

On Monday afternoon, Troy, Lois and Doug Morrow held a press conference outside the Hamilton County Courthouse to tell their side of the story about the incident, which occurred in the parking lot of the Montgomery Inn Boathouse in the East End neighborhood on June 22.

According to a crash report filed with Cincinnati police, a relative of WCPO meteorologist Steve Raleigh was driving a black Cadillac Escalade in the Boathouse parking lot when he hit the Morrows' white Ford F-150 after failing to yield to oncoming traffic. A "large fight" broke out in response to the crash, according to a transcript of audio 911 calls.

Now, Troy Morrow and his parents Doug and Lois want three things from the Raleigh family: to come forward and tell the truth; accept responsibility, which includes providing financial compensation; and an apology.

The Enquirer on Monday afternoon left a voicemail with the Raleighs' attorney, Merlyn Shiverdecker, and is awaiting a response. The story will be updated when a response is received.

"These are good, civil people. They didn't want this in their lives," Konrad Kircher, the Morrow family's attorney, told reporters during the press conference.

Troy Morrow is an 11-year employee of the Boathouse and had called his parents, Lois and Doug, to take him to receive medical attention after cutting his thumb on broken glass at work.

The Morrows say a Raleigh family member got angry with them after Troy Morrow made a comment about the Escalade's speed. The family said Steve Raleigh came out of the restaurant and told Doug Morrow not to call police over the crash – which Doug Morrow did anyway. The family said the suspect punched Troy Morrow in the head and slammed him on the ground. Then, Kircher said, he attacked Troy's parents.

A criminal investigation into the incident is expected to wrap up next week, Kircher said.

The Enquirer is not naming the suspect because he has not been charged with a crime.

The Morrows' account of what happened at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse

Troy Morrow bikes to work from Covington every day, so he called his parents, Lois and Doug Morrow, to take him to receive medical attention after he was cut, Kircher said. Troy's mother is 76. His dad is 79.

After loading the bicycle into the backseat, Doug Morrow got back into his F-150 to drive out of the parking lot. That's when they were hit by the Escalade.

Troy Morrow got out of the truck and questioned the driver of the SUV on why they were driving so quickly in the parking lot. Doug Morrow then exited the truck to talk to the Raleighs. Kircher said Steve Raleigh then walked out of the restaurant and told the Morrows they would exchange insurance information, not call the police. Doug Morrow rejected that idea and called the police anyway. He chose to do so because when he was in another car accident two months prior, he did not file a report and the other driver gave him false information.

"That's when all hell broke loose," Doug Morrow told reporters.

Kircher said Steve Raleigh's relative then walked up to Troy Morrow and punched him, pushed him to the ground and began choking him. Troy's father then came over to pull him off. The suspect then punched Doug Morrow and knocked him to the ground, Kircher said. Then while Lois Morrow attempted to break up the fight, the attorney said, the suspect hit her, too, and pushed her to the ground, causing her to knock her head on the pavement and begin vomiting.

The family says Lois and Doug Morrow sustained concussions as a result of the assault.

"It was horrible. I couldn't concentrate, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep," Lois Morrow said of recovering from the concussion. "I don't know what reason the guy had to hit me like that."

Troy Morrow said the situation was avoidable. Kircher agreed, noting that if the Raleighs had just agreed to call police and file a report, it could have ended peacefully with a simple insurance claim.

"Had (Steve Raleigh) done things the right way, there never would have been an assault," Troy Morrow said. "He kept asking, 'Do you know who I am?' I didn't know (who he was) until after the fact."

Troy Morrow has physical disabilities, which include a twisted spine he developed after an injury he sustained at age 13.

"Every time I shut my eyes, I see my mom on the ground," Troy Morrow said. "That's hard to live with."

A video of the assault was posted by Facebook user Stacie Morrow-Stickrod, who said she is the daughter of the victims. As of Monday, the video has 235 reactions and more than 490,000 views.

Montgomery Inn Boathouse owner Dean Gregory told reporters there are two security cameras on the property, one owned by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the other by the Cincinnati Police Department. They were not operational at the time of the incident. The Enquirer has asked for more information from the department on how often its cameras are checked and if there are plans to fix this one.

Steve Raleigh has been with WCPO since 2005, according to the TV station's website.

WCPO journalists were present at the press conference. A story published on the TV station's website Monday night includes a statement from WCPO Vice President and General Manager Jeff Brogan in which he said Steve Raleigh will be "off work for now" since his family is the subject of a news story.

"We continue to monitor developments and official findings of the police investigation into the incident involving Steve Raleigh’s family. WCPO will cover the story with a commitment to balanced reporting," Brogan's statement reads.