Christopher Bowman Incident

[Skatewind]

Former U.S. figure skating champion Christopher Bowman arrested in Detroit area (http://www.freep.com/news/statewire/sw106483_20041029.htm)

[Schmeck]

Sounds like a horrible mess he's in. Thank goodness no one was shot/killed/hurt. He seemed to be doing so well just a short while ago too.

[robertp]

How sad that someone with such great potential, has been defeated so many times in his life by alcohol and drug use. Agreed, that it is good that no one was actually hurt in this incident. Hopefully he can, once again, get through this episode and go on with a productive life.

[Mel On Ice]

I saw him at a competition this summer, he looked very happy and content with his life, had a great repoire with his students, and he was married to a beautiful woman. Wonder what happened to change all this for him.

[Kristin]

There is no excuse for this behavior. He has really wasted his life.

[sunshine21]

Wasn't Tara Chris an item at one point??

[Sing_Alto]

The man is pushing 40. Will he ever get his act together? :roll:

[Mel On Ice]

Wasn't Tara Chris an item at one point??

Tara Lipinski? I don't think I've ever heard that rumor. Besides, at the time she was training at Detroit SC (in his vicinity, which I think at the time he was at Garden City) she would have been 14, 15 years old. I think he is 37, so that would have made him 30, 31. I don't think Pat (or Richard Callaghan) would have allowed that to happen...

[dbny]

The man is pushing 40. Will he ever get his act together? :roll:

Although no one in my family has had drug or crime problems, we do tend to be late bloomers, with at least two males not "settling down" until their forties. I don't take any pleasure in anyone else's problems. Schadenfreud is an ugly response.

[jcspkbfan]

I was shocked and saddened to read that article. I thought Christopher was able to put his past troubles behind him after he got married, started a family and began coaching. I'm very disappointed to find out I was wrong. :(

[TashaKat]

There is no excuse for this behavior. He has really wasted his life.

The man is pushing 40. Will he ever get his act together? :roll:

Until you've walked a mile in his shoes you have absolutely no right to criticise. God help anyone in your lives who has problems. I can only assume that you have good lives, you are very lucky to have this, not everyone does.

[Sing_Alto]

Until you've walked a mile in his shoes you have absolutely no right to criticise. God help anyone in your lives who has problems. I can only assume that you have good lives, you are very lucky to have this, not everyone does.

Actually, my life has not been easy. I find it amusing that you assume otherwise. Everyone has their problems. How we choose to deal with them is a measure of our maturity. I could've used alcohol and drugs to deal with my problems, but I knew that was complete stupidity. No one forced Christopher to start using. He made a conscious choice.

Finally, while we're having this pity party for poor Christopher, may I point out to those who sit in judgement of what I wrote (and obviously didn't read the article thoroughly}: He pointed a loaded gun at a woman. Sorry, but I can't feel badly for someone who does something that boneheaded.

[Sing_Alto]

I don't take any pleasure in anyone else's problems.

Nor do I. He's a big boy, and it's time he grew up and got some help.

[dobiesk8r]

Finally, while we're having this pity party for poor Christopher, may I point out to those who sit in judgement of what I wrote (and obviously didn't read the article thoroughly}: He pointed a loaded gun at a woman. Sorry, but I can't feel badly for someone who does something that boneheaded.

Nor can I. Pointing a loaded gun at someone shows a reckless disregard for human life. The woman could have been killed. And I don't see any examples of schadenfreude - who here is taking pleasure in Chris's misfortune?

[dbny]

Nor can I. Pointing a loaded gun at someone shows a reckless disregard for human life. The woman could have been killed. And I don't see any examples of schadenfreude - who here is taking pleasure in Chris's misfortune?

:oops: I didn't read the article. The gun business is really awful.

On rereading, I must admit there is no schadenfreud, but there are definitly two types of responses here. One seems to be anger and disgust, the other more sadness and sympathy. I'm on the sadness and sympathy side and will continue to hope that Christopher can find a healthy way to resolve his problems. The article did say that he pointed the gun at a friend and that she was worried about him: "Bowman's friend told police she was worried about him and feared he might harm himself."

[TRAxel]

No, nobody has made Chris go down the road he has gone down, BUT...
Until you have lived with an addiction, we don't know first hand what it's like to live with one.
Chris has to *want* the help before he can be helped.
Thank God no one was hurt in this incident.

[Michigansk8er]

Does anyone know where he is currently coaching? He is no longer listed on the DSC website. I also found it interesting that he is living in an apartment and no mention was made of his wife.

[7302005]

Until you have lived with an addiction, we don't know first hand what it's like to live with one.

This is oh-so-true, and even if you did receive help/had recovering for a period of time, there is always the wish to use again. It becomes stronger at times - which can cause terrible cravings/despair. Most recovering...addicts, alcoholics, etc. know that at any given anytime you can slip up. That is the saying "one day at a time". Most recovering addicts know that there is even a "one second at a time" saying.

Some people don't believe in the 12 step programs - but there is a huge support group/allies with these programs.

I would venture a guess that the girlfriend understood this concept and was truly concerned for Mr. Bowman.

Thank goodness no one was hurt

[lazenpa]

http://www.freep.com/news/locoak/bowman4e_20041104.htm

[LittleBitSk8er]

Aw, as of now the story reads April Freeman, 40 said, "She could not remember if he pointed it at her -- but she does remember seeing an open bottle of vodka in the apartment.



Therefore, Chris was drunk in his home, passed out and April Freeman calls the ex-wife to let her know about Chris drunkenness. Ex-wife calls police and Chris is carted off to jail.



Call me cynical but this sounds very “convenient” for the ex wife. Are these two women in cahoots together? There seems to be a big part of this story still missing. The pieces do not fit altogether.



First, if Ann was so worried why did she just not call the police herself in stead of the ex wife? Second, why wait until Chris is passed out to call? Then she calls Chris her best friend, but does not remember if a loaded gun was pointed at her. I am sorry that is not something one easily forgets about. But she remembers an open bottle of Vodka?



Something else is in the works with Ann and the ex-wife. I guess this will be an ongoing saga for us all to hear about.

[blades]

8-)

somehow, my warped mind starts thinking of christopher married to tonya...and the kids they would have...yikes!!! 8O

[CherylS]

]First, if Ann was so worried why did she just not call the police herself in stead of the ex wife? Second, why wait until Chris is passed out to call? Then she calls Chris her best friend, but does not remember if a loaded gun was pointed at her. I am sorry that is not something one easily forgets about. But she remembers an open bottle of Vodka?
[/font]

I do find that odd that she wouldn't remember whether he pointed the gun at her but, never having a gun pointed at me myself, I would have to think that maybe if I walked in and a good friend had a gun, I might freak out a little and not be real clear on what happened next. I think just seeing the gun could make someone a little hysterical especially if it was a friend that you are more afraid the gun is a danger to their own safety. I also think someone would want to be 100% sure that the gun had been pointed at them to say so because that's an even bigger problem than just walking in and seeing someone with a gun in their hands. I also could understand calling the person that should know him best to try to figure out what to do - maybe not the smartest move but people don't always react the best under stress. Calling the police on a friend is a big deal that you have to be really sure that is the best way to handle it because legal trouble could screw them up worse. I also don't think the article makes it sound like she intentionally waited until he was passed out to call anyone. It sounds like she left right away and called the ex but it doesn't say whether the ex called the police immediately.

Anyway, whatever the facts and whatever his problems are, I hope that someone is able to get through to him and get him help. Maybe getting some help is something good that can come out of this. It's just really too bad that it sounds like he's never been able to get his life totally together.

[Mel On Ice]

my thought process is now is perhaps this friend is backtracking on her story to get Chris out of trouble. There's a big difference on charges if she says he pointed a gun at her vs. him not pointing a gun at her.

[LittleBitSk8er]

Mel, I think you may be right. I am just glad it does not actually involve me! I hope the best for Chris. Maybe he might wake up and realize "What the H*ll am I doing with my life!" One can only hope that for anyone in his shoes.

[IceKween]

When I read that she was changing her story, my feeling was that she didn't realize it would escalate into a felony arrest, and was backtracking to save his *ss. His ex-wife sounds like quite a number. With exes like her who needs enemies, right? I'm glad the friend has 'forgotten' whether he pointed a gun at her, which does seem weird that one would not remember such a thing.
He and Tonya would make quite a pairing wouldn't they?

[Skatewind]

Latest news:

Ex-U-S champion skater pleas guilty on gun charge (http://www.wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=2603863)
Bowman's lawyer says the case has convinced his client to get treatment for a recently diagnosed bipolar condition.

[Mulch]

Former U.S. figure skating champion Christopher Bowman arrested in Detroit area (http://www.freep.com/news/statewire/sw106483_20041029.htm)

It's really difficult for me to consider this strange, necessarily, considering the horribleness of Christopher's life. Whoever mentioned that about pushing 40 and getting his act together, you're right. :roll:

[Artemis]

Sentence: 18 months probation and counselling.

Story here. (http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/FigureSkating/2005/01/19/903838-ap.html)

[MissJ]

Photo of Chris on Yahoo....

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050119/483/mico10101192246