A fight that began with words outside a Lake Wales bar turned physical early Saturday morning, leaving a 60-year-old man hospitalized and deputies combing through what happened in the parking lot. Emergency crews were called to Y’all Come Back Saloon around 1:15 a.m. on Nov. 14, and the man was rushed to Lake Wales Medical Center.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case as an aggravated battery at the bar, located at 3230 Highway 60 East, according to Daily Ridge. The outlet reports that the confrontation began as a verbal dispute before escalating into a physical altercation outside the bar in its parking lot.
Initial Report Corrected After Confusion Over Patient's Status
The incident was initially reported using the designation Signal 7, which indicates a deceased person, but the sheriff’s office later issued a correction stating the patient was not deceased. His current condition and the extent of his injuries have not been confirmed, the outlet's report notes.
Deputies have not said what sparked the confrontation, and it remains unclear whether anyone has been arrested in connection with the fight. The aggravated battery investigation remains ongoing, and the sheriff’s office had not immediately provided additional details when the report published.
Second Polk County Bar Altercation in Under a Month
Saturday's incident comes less than a month after a separate, and far more serious, confrontation at a Winter Haven drinking establishment. On Oct. 18, Adam Chism, 40, of Polk City, was punched during an altercation at Caribbean Bay in Winter Haven and later died from his injuries.
Chism never regained consciousness and ultimately succumbed to his injuries on Oct. 21, according to Mid Florida Newspapers. The Winter Haven Police Department has since obtained an arrest warrant for 40-year-old Brian Motley, who faces charges of manslaughter and felony battery when located, per the same report.
What Florida Law Says About Aggravated Battery
Under Florida Statutes Section 784.045, aggravated battery covers conduct where someone intentionally or knowingly causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement while committing a battery, or uses a deadly weapon during the offense. A violation under that statute is classified as a second-degree felony under Florida law.
No further details on a possible arrest or the circumstances leading up to Saturday's altercation at Y’all Come Back Saloon have been released. The investigation remains active as deputies continue to piece together what led to the parking lot fight.
