Man denies guilt in Belgrade bar fight; Other man remains hospitalized
Posted: Mar 15, 2010 2:17 PM
Updated: Mar 16, 2010 2:02 PM
A Bozeman man accused of punching another man at a Belgrade bar in February, leaving him hospitalized in critical condition, pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault Monday afternoon.
Matthew Wagemann, 27, remains in custody on $150,000 bail.
Wagemann is accused of punching Shad Waddell of Belgrade who was reportedly a bystander when a fight broke out at the Belgrade Lounge on Wednesday, Feb. 24. Waddell, who was Life Flighted to St. Vincent Hospital in Billings, remains hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit with brain swelling, according to the owner of the Belgrade Lounge.
Witnesses told authorities Waddell was "sucker punched," then fell to the ground and hit his head on the asphalt, a prosecutor in the case said in an earlier interview. Wagemann has claimed he acted in self defense.
Waddell was reportedly just a bystander in a crowd of people who gathered in the parking lot of the bar after a separate fight erupted inside the lounge.
Law enforcement was called to the scene at about 11:40 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24.
Two other local men were charged with misdemeanors in the incident. Theodore Antonsen was arrested for obstructing a peace officer and disorderly conduct. John Cornejo was cited and released for disorderly conduct.
