A 35-year-old Vancouver man appeared Wednesday in Clark County Superior Court after allegedly attacking a man with a bat.
Dane D. Gibbs was arrested New Year’s Eve on suspicion of first-degree assault. Court records show Judge Daniel Stahnke set Gibbs’ bail at $20,000, which was posted following his first appearance hearing.
A Vancouver police officer was dispatched about 8 p.m. Monday to a residence in the 2200 block of Broadway for a report of someone hitting a person with a bat and then fleeing in a vehicle, according to a probable cause affidavit.
When the officer arrived at the home, the victim was lying in the front yard bleeding. At the same time, another officer located the suspect vehicle, stopped it and detained Gibbs. The officer also observed Gibbs throw something in a dumpster before he pulled over, which turned out to be a silver metal bat, according to the affidavit.
Gibbs’ wife told officers she was visiting a former boyfriend, and they went to leave his apartment when she spotted Gibbs approaching them from up the street. Yelling ensued, and she tried to de-escalate the situation. She said Gibbs retrieved the bat from his car, the affidavit says.
The ex-boyfriend, according to the affidavit, challenged Gibbs, who responded by hitting him in the arm with the bat, followed by a blow to the back of the head.
The victim “fell to the ground where (Gibbs) struck him an additional two times with the metal bat; once to the back and the fourth strike to the back of the head,” the affidavit says. He tried to crawl away but Gibbs allegedly continued to hit his body. Then, Gibbs ran from the apartment.
Officers noted serious lacerations to the victim’s head. He was taken to a local hospital for an evaluation and treatment. He was listed in satisfactory condition as of Thursday.
