UK student accused of assault that caused fractured skull at a bar, investigators say
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- Hunter Hawthorne is charged with assault and nine counts of possession of fake IDs.
- Victim suffered a severe concussion, fractured skull and possible traumatic brain injury.
- Hawthorne held on $50,000 bond and faces preliminary hearing May 5 in Fayette Court.
A University of Kentucky student has been charged with assault after he allegedly punched a man in the face at a Lexington bar, causing him to have a potential traumatic brain injury, according to court documents.
The incident happened around 1:45 a.m. April 10 at 2 Fisted Willie’s, a rooftop patio country music sports bar located off-campus on Woodland Avenue. Court documents say Hunter Hawthorne, 20, was in an argument with someone when a man intervened in an attempt to defuse the situation.
Hawthorne shoved the man and continued arguing with the other person. Court documents say the man placed his hand on Hawthorne’s back “in a non-threatening manner,” and Hawthorne responded by punching the man in the face, knocking him unconscious for about four minutes.
The man hit his head on the ground and suffered a severe concussion, a fractured skull, brain bleed and a possible traumatic brain injury, according to court documents. The man was hospitalized for about one week and continues to receive treatment at a rehabilitation facility.
Police identified Hawthorne as the suspect through interviews and investigative resources, according to court documents. Detectives also reviewed surveillance footage from 2 Fisted Willie’s that shows the entirety of the incident.
It was determined that Hawthorne was a UK student during the investigation. University spokesperson Jay Blanton said Hawthorne is still enrolled at the school and does not have any comment on the allegations.
“We are aware of the allegations and while we don’t have any comment, we would expect the student conduct process to be engaged as a result of these charges,” Blanton said.
Hawthorne is charged with first-degree assault and nine counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. Court documents say officials found nine fake IDs in his bedroom while serving a search warrant at his residence.
Hawthorne was booked into the Fayette County Detention Center Tuesday and is being held on a $50,000 bond, according to jail records. His next scheduled court appearance is a preliminary hearing at Fayette District Court May 5.
