An attack in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Sturtevant Aug. 8 led to criminal charges filed Wednesday in Racine County Circuit Court against two Racine men.
James P. Saar, 25, and Lashan Wilkerson, 43, are each charged with a felony count of substantial battery and misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Saar also is charged with one count of misdemeanor battery.
The felony carries a fine of $10,000 and three years, six months in prison, while the battery charge carries a fine of $10,000 and nine months in county jail. The disorderly conduct charge carries a fine of $1,000 and 90 days in jail.
Both defendants made their initial appearance in court Wednesday.
According to the criminal complaint:
A police officer with the Mount Pleasant Police Department spoke with a woman, who stated that she, her boyfriend and three children were loading purchases into the van when they were approached by the two defendants and a female.
Saar allegedly ran up and punched the man in the face, while Wilkerson struck him with a metal pipe.
After the man fell to the ground, Wilkerson continued the assault. When the female attempted to break up the fight, Saar punched her in the left eye.
Police spoke to the man at a hospital, where he was treated for head wounds that required six stitches to his forehead, six staples to the back of his head and two staples above his left ear.
The man stated the female involved was upset because his nephew had ended a relationship with her. While he was in the store, he observed the woman call someone and state, “I’m looking right at him.”
Multiple eyewitnesses confirmed the account to police, including one man, who stated he hurriedly put his children in the car to escape the violence and then called 911.
Saar and Wilkerson are due back Aug. 23 for an 8:30 a.m. preliminary hearing.
Since you’re here…
We have a favor to ask. We want access to our stories to remain free for everyone, so we haven’t put up a paywall to block our content. But we need your help! Producing our content requires lots of hard work and money, but we believe it’s 100% worth it and so we’re inviting you to support our mission by funding it.
Also, Racine County Eye received an investigative journalism grant from the Local Independent Online News publishers’ association and the Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Foundation. Now we are looking for our community to match this $1,500 grant. Please consider making your contribution today at either $5, $10 or $20/month. We’ve got goodies galore for you too. Interested, click here.