A second Portage resident was charged Wednesday in a celebration-turned-brawl prompted by racial slurs at a local tavern last month. Arnold Denby, 24, of Portage, faces up to five years in prison on a felony charge of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and a 90-day jail penalty on a charge of misdemeanor disorderly conduct. He is free on a $5,000 signature bond after making an initial appearance on the charge Wednesday in Columbia County Circuit Court.
Eric T. Barnes, 21, was celebrating his birthday Feb. 7 at Sharpshooters, 2520 W. Wisconsin St., when other bar patrons reportedly called out racist insults.
This prompted Barnes, who is black, to become agitated, according to a police report.
Denby, who tried twice to break up the fight, allegedly threw a bar stool during the brawl, injuring a woman, according to a criminal complaint.
Barnes was charged in February with felony battery of a peace officer and misdemeanor disorderly conduct after he reportedly struck an officer in the eye with a closed fist as the officer attempted to take him into custody, according to a criminal complaint.
Barnes faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of $10,000 if he is found guilty of the felony charge. He is scheduled for a pretrial conference March 30.
Denby is scheduled for a pretrial conference April 17.
sgreen@capitalnewspapers.com
745-3504
Poster Comment:
People really still throw bar stools in this day and age? Awesome!