Madison Heights

Quarrel over repairman leads to a bat-and-knife fight

By Andy Kozlowski
C & G Staff Writer

A local man is charged with felony assault after an argument between neighbors escalated into a violent skirmish that resulted in one man getting hit with a baseball bat.

The suspect, 22-year-old Barry Smith of Hazel Park, was arraigned in Hazel Park 43rd District Court before Judge Charles Goedert on Thursday, Feb. 2.

Smith is charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, a four-year felony. He is being held on $1,010 cash or surety bond.

Police say the incident happened around 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, at a house in the 400 block of East Muir. The victim lives in the upper flat of the house, and the suspect lives in the lower flat.

A police officer was nearby at the time, having pulled over someone in a traffic stop. The officer heard a commotion near the entrance to the upper flat, and looked up to see two men fighting on the stairs leading up from the ground level.

The victim was defending himself with a knife he had retrieved from his home after the suspect struck him several times in the upper left arm with a baseball bat.

The officer called for backup and started ordering them to stop, which they eventually did. One stayed where he was, and the other retreated down the steps. When reinforcements arrived, the investigation began.

Hazel Park Police Chief Martin Barner said the incident appears to have been the result of pent-up tensions coming to a head. Each of the men lived with a woman, and an exchange of words between these women led to the fight between the men.

“Apparently, what it was is the resident in the upper flat (the victim) had called the landlord because they were having some plumbing issues, and the landlord sent over this repairman to get in the basement to shut off the water, which can only be done through the lower flat,” Barner said. “The repairman banged on the door, the lower flat was surprised, and apparently this is what caused the issue — the upper flat had not notified the lower flat that the repairman was coming.

“I’m sure they had more than that going on between them,” Barner added. “Though you never know: people nowadays fly off the handle at the simplest things.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Andy Kozlowski at akozlowski@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1104.