'Pastafarian' charged after 'bashing Thredbo manager'
A man has been charged with repeatedly bashing the manager of a ski resort with a snowboard while dressed as a Star Wars character.
Keith Melvyn Wass, 51, allegedly attacked Jordan Rodgers, the general manager of Thredbo Alpine Village, during an argument on Saturday morning.
Mr Rodgers, 55, sustained facial and dental injuries.
On Sunday morning, Wass admitted to the attack in a Facebook post – and claimed it was prompted by Mr Rodgers banning him from snowboarding in his costume.
Keith Melvyn Wass is accused of attacking the manager of a ski resort with a snowboard
'Been banned from Thredbo by the CEO Jordan Rogers for riding in the Chewbacca costume, so I dropped him, he lost consciousness and some teeth,' he wrote.
'Coped a head but [sic] to the bridge of the nose and have been having some difficulty with balance.'
He added: 'Been ordered not to have any contact with Thredbo staff (even if I know them) about what happened and must stay 15km away from Thredbo.'
Wass claimed other bail conditions were impossible for him to follow so he was thinking of going into custody pending a trial.
Wass (pictured in his Chewbacca costume) allegedly attacked the man with his snowboard
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Wass claimed the incident started because Mr Rodgers banned from from snowboarding in his costume
He has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, causing reckless grievous bodily harm and using an offensive weapon with the intention to commit an indictable offense, the Daily Telegraph reports.
He was granted conditional bail to appear before Cooma Local Court on September 6.
Police will also apply for an apprehended violence order on Mr Rogers' behalf at the hearing, according to The Telegraph.
Jordan Rodgers, the general manager of the ski resort, sustained facial and dental injuries
Wass is a 'Pastafarian' – someone who follows the satirical Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
When not in the Wookie costume, he is often seen wearing a colander on his head, according to locals in Thredbo.
He became the second Pastafarian in NSW to win the right to wear a colander on his head for his driver's licence photo, the chirch's Australian captain Tanya Watkins told the Telegraph.