Alleged assault leaves man injured, ‘baffled’

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This article was published 26/11/2016 (3417 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jason Scaletta was planning to be in hospital this week for back surgery, but he didn’t expect a beating in a Brandon parking lot to get him admitted a day early.

The 38-year-old Brandonite had two surgeries on Thursday — his previously scheduled back operation and a wrist surgery, the latter induced after three bones broke in his right wrist Wednesday during an alleged assault on Victoria Avenue.

He was hurt in a “broad daylight” fight at approximately 11:20 a.m., he said.

“The guy just started assaulting me. He took four swings at me before he hit me,” Scaletta recalled. “There were three of them and one of me.”

The altercation began minutes earlier, when Scaletta claims he was “tailgated” on First Street by a green Honda car. Three men were inside the car.

The vehicles parked beside each other at an intersection and the occupants exchanged heated words. As the other car turned left onto McTavish Avenue, a bottle, likely made of plastic, was tossed at Scaletta’s car, he claims.

Frustrated, Scaletta drove after them. He turned onto Victoria Avenue and south on Second Street when he saw the other car drive onto the parking lot at 510 First St. He followed.

Scaletta exited his car because he wanted to take a picture of the other vehicle’s licence plate to file a police report.

A verbal argument ensued between the parties, who exited their vehicles, and punches were eventually tossed.

A 29-year-old Brandon man was arrested for assault causing bodily harm, police said. He was the only person charged.

Scaletta, who suffered a broken wrist and nose, took issue with the police’s media release on the incident, which referenced four people fighting because of road rage. The parties were “flipping each other off.”

The victim felt the report implied that everyone was equally to blame.

“It wasn’t a bunch of guys fighting. It was me, by myself, with a bad back that I’m getting surgery on,” he said. “I’m in no shape to be fighting anybody, I’m 38 years old, these guys are young. Why would I try to pick a fight with three guys by myself?”

Scaletta’s back was in bad enough condition before his surgery Thursday, he couldn’t lift a laundry basket and certainly wouldn’t have thrown a punch if he wasn’t defending himself, he said.

He tossed one strike and faced approximately 15 blows, Scaletta alleged.

His recollection of what happened is faint, he admits. He could hardly see because of profuse bleeding from his face and his left eye swelling.

“This is Brandon, man. This kind of stuff shouldn’t happen in Brandon, never mind throwing something at my vehicle that’s worth 30 grand. I’m not frustrated, just baffled.”

The other two men in the car with the accused did not intervene, the victim believes.

After the fight, the driver of the other car, a “really nice guy,” gave Scaletta his sweater to clean himself.

He expects to remain at Brandon Regional Health Centre this weekend.

Sgt. Bill Brown of the Brandon Police Service said their police reports are meant to be a synopsis. He encouraged the complainant to call police if he has concerns with the wording.

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