LINCOLNTON MAN CHARGED WTIH ASSAULT
Weapons and witnesses lead to at least one arrest

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- Officers coming onto the night shift Wednesday night were faced with something that looked more like a confrontation on World Wrestling Entertainment than a fight involving at least three people.

The incident started as a damage to property call in the 300 block of Jennings Street just after 6 p.m.

According to officer Richard Taylor, when officers arrived, they found that headlights had been broken in a vehicle in front of a residence.

Within 15 minutes, however, the case would take an unexpected turn, as one of the injured parties was found near the Lincolnton Fire Department, bleeding from the finger.

Taylor said they found the victim near Court Street Grille.

"I noticed his finger was bleeding, then I looked down and saw blood pooling in his shoe," said Taylor, who upon investigating discovered the victim suffered a laceration to the finger and a laceration to an artery in the man's foot.

Through talking to witnesses, Taylor and other officers said the case went from damage to property to assault.

A man on a scooter and another man were fighting on Jennings Street, where the second man was armed with a baseball bat.

Officers said a third party -- a woman -- tried to run over the man on the scooter with her vehicle. Instead, she ran over her own brother. Detective Dennis Harris said the woman won't face charges.

"That's how the headlights got damaged on the car," said Harris.

Two victims were taken to Carolinas Medical Center Lincoln with non-life threatening injuries.

Harris charged Jeffrey Michael Gaither, 43, with misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon. Gaither was arrested after being treated and released from the hospital and taken to jail under a $2,500 secured bond.

Detective Harris said the investigation is continuing and more arrests are expected.

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