What started as a tense moment between two golfers at a St. Louis-area course ended with one man in the hospital and another in jail, after prosecutors say a father grabbed a club and swung.
Authorities have identified the suspect as Mark L. Wolz, a Clayton resident, and allege he struck another man with a golf club during a confrontation that began when the other golfer shoved Wolz's son. The victim suffered a cut above his left eye, received treatment at a hospital, and was later released.
According to FOX 2, the incident happened on March 21 at Crescent Farms Golf Club, northeast of Eureka. Prosecutors have charged Wolz with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He was arrested that afternoon and is being held on a $50,000 cash-only bond. A bond-reduction hearing is set for March 30, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 21.
Where it happened
The confrontation unfolded at Crescent Farms Golf Club, a 27-hole public course off Lewis Road in Eureka. The club lists its address as 745 Lewis Road and promotes itself as roughly a 20-minute drive from downtown St. Louis.
What prosecutors allege
A probable cause statement cited by FOX 2 states that an argument broke out between the victim and Wolz's son, which escalated into shoving. At that point, prosecutors say, Wolz used a golf club to hit the other man. Police report that the victim sustained a laceration above his left eye, was taken to a hospital for treatment, and was later released.
Legal implications
Under Missouri law, assault in the first degree occurs when a person attempts to kill, or knowingly causes or attempts to cause serious physical injury. It is usually charged as a Class B felony and can be elevated in especially severe cases, as outlined in RSMo §565.050.
The additional charge of armed criminal action applies when someone commits a felony with the help of a dangerous instrument or weapon. That offense carries mandatory prison time that must run consecutively to any other sentence under RSMo §571.015.
Next steps
Wolz is scheduled to return to court for the March 30 bond-reduction hearing and the April 21 preliminary hearing. At the preliminary hearing, prosecutors will have to present enough evidence to move the case toward trial. Wolz is presumed innocent unless and until he is convicted in court.
