Monday, May 17, 1999
Four jailed after fight during softball game
Attacks with bats leave two seriously injured
BY TOM O'NEILL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — An apparent threat during a softball game prompted a bat-swinging fight in which at least one man suffered a serious head injury and four were charged, one with ethnic intimidation and three with felonious assault.
All four suspects, including a coach, remained in Hamilton County Justice Center on Sunday. The brawl broke out 3:24 p.m. Saturday during a game at the Cincinnati Softball Center on Campbell Road in Harrison Township.
It began with an exchange of insults and escalated when catcher Travis Hearn, who is white, told an opposing player “I'll kick your black (expletive)” and spit in the other player's face, according to his arrest record, filed by the Hamilton County Sheriff's office.
The opposing team was composed predominantly of African-American players.
During the ensuing fight, several people were injured — two seriously, police said. One of the two men was struck in the head numerous times with a softball bat and suf fered a serious head injury. The names and conditions of the injured were not immediately available.
The suspects are:
• Mr. Hearn, 28, of Miamisburg, charged with ethnic intimidation, a misdemeanor. He is being held on $1,000 bond. He must post 10 percent to be released.
• Johnny Mattress, 26, of Winton Place, charged with second-degree felonious assault. He was observed hitting an opposing player in the head with a bat, causing serious injury, police said. He is jailed on $2,000 bond.
›Phillip Bradbury, 33, of Fairfield, charged with felonious assault, also accused of hitting an opposing player in the head with a bat. He is in jail on $2,000 bond.
›Coach Arthur Warren, 41, of Fairfield, also charged with second-degree felonious assault for allegedly hitting an opposing player in the head with a bat.
Mr. Warren also has outstanding traffic warrants and was found to have outstanding warrants from Butler County for failure to appear in court on charges of possession of drugs and failure to comply.
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