A man was in critical condition at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital on Tuesday night after he was assaulted on New Year's Eve by another man who has since been arrested, Lexington police said.

James Dean Wallace, 32, of Lexington was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Curtis L. Flora, 36, of Lexington about 7:30 p.m. when the two men got into an argument on Vince Road in Jessamine County, Jessamine County Deputy Sheriff Anthony Purcell said.

According to a news release from the sheriff's office, Flora beat Wallace, "striking him multiple times in the head with a closed fist," before driving him to Lexington.

About 8:15 p.m., police and paramedics were called to a home in the 600 block of Silverleaf Drive, near Deep Springs Elementary school, by a witness who reported that a man was unconscious and bleeding heavily.

Wallace was taken by ambulance to the hospital, said Lt. Roger Holland of the Lexington police.

Lt. Chris Young of the Lexington police said Tuesday evening that officers later determined that the assault had occurred in Jessamine County, and the investigation was turned over to officials there.

Flora was being held Tuesday in the Jessamine County Detention Center on a charge of first-degree assault.

After the ambulance left the Silverleaf Drive home on Monday, three officers stayed behind, interviewing several adults in the home. A forensics investigator came to the scene later and photographed the inside of a dark four-door sedan that was parked in the driveway with its dome light on.

The officers and the forensics investigator also periodically entered a shed in the home's back yard.

Josh Kegley: (859) 231-3197. Twitter: @HLpublicsafety.