Galesburg police arrested a 23-year-old Altona man early yesterday morning after a backyard fight ensued.
Christopher Harris is charged with battery and criminal trespassing for his alleged role in the altercation.
An officer was driving near the 1300 block of Monmouth Blvd. around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, when he observed Harris running to catch up with a car. The officer demanded he stop and the car took off.
Harris told police “he had been jumped” by two men in the parking lot of an area tavern and had been beaten with a pipe and bat, after wanting to retrieve personal items from a Monmouth Blvd. home he was a former resident at.
Authorities spoke with two residents at that home who claimed Harris demanded to enter and two other suspects wearing clown masks yelled threats. When one resident told Harris to leave he claims the Altona man pulled out an unnamed weapon and the fight began, which progressed near the parking lot of the tavern.
During the altercation a resident admitted to police he hit Harris with a bat in order to protect the other resident who Harris was on top of. Harris had a red mark near his ribs and one resident had a scraped elbow, though, both refused medical attention.
Police say Harris was charged based on witness statements, the officers eyewitness account and Harris being intoxicated and uncooperative.