GRAHAM COUNTY — The choice of drink was apparently enough to start a fight and send a man to hospital.
Graham County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a local bar south of Safford following a report of a man knocked unconscious.
Witnesses said the victim and another man wagered a drink on who could hit the boxing machine the hardest, and then the victim started making fun of the winner’s choice of drink. The two went outside and witnesses said the suspect struck the victim, knocking him to the ground unconscious.
The suspect then drove off and the victim walked home after regaining consciousness.
From previous contacts, deputies knew where the victim lived and spoke with him to get a statement. The victim claimed he was “jumped” by six men after he told the men not to speak disrespectfully about women. He claimed the men, whom he said were “Mexicans,” continued to beat him when he was on the ground until he lost consciousness.
The victim was advised to go to Mt. Graham Regional Medical center for treatment of his injuries.
The suspect was located and admitted to punching the victim after the victim repeatedly challenged the suspect to fight. The suspect said there were no other people involved in the incident.
The victim was treated for his injuries and released from the hospital, and the suspect was charged with assault.
