BEDFORD – A Bedford man was arrested after Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department deputies were called to a fight in progress at a home in the 120 block of Needmore East Road.
When officers arrived they spoke to 44-year-old Robert Clifft.
Clifft was bleeding from his right elbow.
Clifft told police another male had asked to borrow a mower and he agreed to let the male borrow his mower. He then texted the male to see if he needed some work to make money. The male never responded to his text message.
Clifft stated he never got a reply so he went to his residence to ask if he needed work. Clifft stated that when he opened the door he was attacked by two males. They hit him several times with a baseball bat.
Clifft told officers he didn’t want to file charges against one of the males but did want to on the other. He stated the second man had hit him several times with a baseball bat.
Officers then spoke to the other two males who were part of the altercation.
One of the males was a juvenile and told officers he heard Clifft and his father arguing. Clifft had his father pinned against the mower in the front yard in a choke hold. The altercation then moved to the front stairs at the door. Clifft again had pinned his father to the stairs. At that time, the juvenile picked up the baseball bat and struck Clifft in the back in an attempt to get him to release his father.
After he hit Clifft the fight ended.
The male told police Clifft had been harassing him. He said Clifft had knocked on the door and when he answered there was a verbal altercation and then it turned physical when Clifft charged at him and grabbed him around the throat. He then pinned him against the mower and was pinned against the front stairs until his son hit Clifft with the baseball bat.
The man did not want to file charges.
The officers said one male had suffered injuries to his face and forehead. He refused medical attention.
When Clifft was told the male didn’t want to file charges he changed his story and told police what happened and said he may have hit the other male in the face during the altercation.
Deputies then arrested Clifft on a charge of battery causing injury.
