Columbia man pleads guilty to assault near Islamic Center

A Columbia man pleaded guilty to a lesser charge for punching someone on their way to the Islamic Center.

Randall Heath admitted to Judge Kevin Crane Monday afternoon to hitting a man on June 17 in downtown Columbia. Boone County Prosecutor Brouck Jacobs originally charged Heath with assault motivated by discrimination – a hate crime against the person Columbia police say was heading to the mosque for the first night of Ramadan.

Heath pleaded guilty to third degree assault, instead, a class A misdemeanor. The original charge was a class D felony. Judge Crane sentenced Heath to 40 days in the Boone County Jail, crediting him for the 46 days he’s served so far.

Last Friday, Heath pleaded guilty to a DWI charge he received the same night of the assault. Associate Circuit Judge Michael Bradley gave him a 10-day jail sentence.