A 30-year-old Eugene man was arrested Saturday night after police said he chased down a group of children at apartments on Lincoln Street and struck a 9-year-old in the face with a large stick. The man, identified by police as Collin McPherson Lounsbury, now faces charges of second-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon.
According to kval.com, the 9-year-old had been playing ding-dong-ditch with a group of children at the apartments over several days before the Saturday night encounter. Police said Lounsbury came out of his apartment, chased the children down and caught up with the 9-year-old, striking him with a wooden stick. The same report, drawing on Eugene police accounts, was also covered by KOIN.com.
A Sharpened Weapon Described in Detail
Police described the stick used in the assault as solid wood, roughly 1½ inches in diameter, about 2 feet long, and sharpened at one end, per the same account. The child was taken to a hospital following the assault, authorities said.
A witness reportedly told police that Lounsbury also swung the stick at a female child in the group but missed her. That detail, like the rest of the account, comes from police statements relayed in the report.
Arrest and Charges
The arrest took place Saturday night, with Eugene police saying Lounsbury was lodged at the Lane County Jail on charges of second-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon. No further details on the case's progress through the courts were included in the available reporting.
