WORTHINGTON -- Two men were arrested early Friday morning after comments about a hockey game turned into a fight at the A&T Tap.
Patrick Paul Nelson, 32, Fort Dodge, Iowa, has been charged with two counts of second-degree assault, one count of third-degree assault and one count of disorderly conduct. Christopher Eugene Schneider, 24, of Grand Forks, N.D., is charged with one count of fifth-degree assault and two counts of disorderly conduct.
Officers from the Worthington Police Department were sent to A&T Tap at 1:18 a.m. Friday after an assault was reported. One officer, upon arrival, spoke with Schneider outside the bar. Schneider had cuts to his upper and lower lips, each about two inches long, and was bleeding heavily. When asked where the other party was, Schneider pointed inside the bar.
The officer found a man, later identified as Nelson, with blood on his head, hands, face and clothing. As the officer walked Nelson out of the bar to take his statement, another patron handed the officer a tooth, which he said belonged to Schneider. Nelson told the officer Schneider had jumped him and he had defended himself.
The bar owner gave a statement, telling the officer a third man had taunted Nelson about North Dakota beating the Minnesota Gophers in hockey. Nelson replied to the taunts, and soon the men were confronting each other. The third man, Schneider's friend, was kicked out of the bar, which Schneider said was unfair.
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A witness at the bar also gave a statement, stating that Schneider was staring at Nelson after the third man had left, and Nelson told him not to because "it's only going to start problems."
The witness said Schneider lunged at Nelson and Nelson either threw or pushed a glass into Schneider's face. Both men fell to the floor. The owner said he didn't see the glass hit Schneider's face, but saw the glass fly upward.
In Nelson's statement, he said another man had started a fight over hockey teams and had hit him.
Schneider has a previous conviction in Polk County for harassment/stalking in June 2004.
If convicted, Nelson faces a maximum combined penalty of 22 years and 90 days imprisonment and/or $45,000 in fines.
If convicted, Schneider faces a maximum combined penalty of 1 year and 180 days imprisonment and/or $5,000 in fines.
