Amador County – Ione Police Department investigated a bar brawl and felony assault last weekend in Ione, though charges are still pending.

Ione Police Chief Michael L. Johnson released details, saying names and further details were withheld due to pending charges: “All suspects, witnesses, and victims have been identified. The case has been completed and solid prosecutable evidence has been complied. Criminal charges are pending based on reluctant victims’ desire for prosecution. All of the involved parties are Amador County residents.”

Johnson said about 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18. “Things got out of hand at the Ione Hotel Bar. What started as a bar fight erupted into a felony assault that spilled into the street. Several intoxicated patrons ended up slugging it out on Main Street.”

An Ione Police Department officer was dispatched to the fight at 12:34 am. Johnson said the Officer arrived on scene 30 seconds later to find not a single person on Main Street. Both bars on Main Street were locked up and empty.

The officer located blood and vomit about the area. One witness was eventually located, but was generally uncooperative, Johnson said. The witness said that the fight occurred “a while ago.”

About 40 minutes later, the officer went to Sutter Amador Hospital emergency room to contact the victim of a reported assault that took place on Main Street in Ione. The investigation “led to a long list of interviews, misinformation, and concerning facts,” and more than 20 people gave testimony to what occurred that evening.

He said most concerning was that no one called 9-1-1 to report the incident at the time of occurrence. The on-duty officer was available and on patrol in the immediate area, and had just been on Main Street prior to the reported time of occurrence and was patrolling nearby.

Johnson said it is “unfortunate that no one in this particular case wanted to take the responsibility of making that call. The hospitalized victim may have been spared some serious injuries.”

Two “especially admirable” locals and one other local man, who “were the reason the fight was terminated and the victim did not suffer more serious and long term sustaining injuries.” An Ione tow truck driver, himself an Ione resident, was on his way to a call, when he rounded the corner onto Main Street and “witnessed one man getting beat up by several others.” The driver stopped his truck and came to the aid of the victim.

Assisting the tow driver was a 41-year-old Ione woman, “who, acting on her good nature, ended up laying on top of the fallen victim that was getting punched and kicked by the assailants.” The woman was “unable to get the fight stopped” and “her mother instincts just took over to protect this guy.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.