A Warsaw man was treated at Kosciusko Community Hospital and released after being struck in the head several times Christmas Eve by a man wielding a beer bottle inside a local bar. The suspect was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on several misdemeanor charges.

William David Roberts, 23, suffered large knots and small cuts to the back of his head, according to a Warsaw Police Department report. The incident occurred about 10:15 p.m. Friday inside the Time Out Inn, where Roberts and his wife, Windy, were reportedly being harassed by the suspect, Jim Edward Ryan Waid, 19, of 552 S. Union St., Warsaw.

Waid reportedly fled the scene before police arrived, but witnesses gave a description of the vehicle he was in and he was apprehended a short distance away and brought back to the scene for identification. Roberts said he did not know who his assailant was, but a witness said he could identify the suspect and verified that Waid was the man who struck Roberts.

Waid was booked into the county jail on charges of battery, illegal possession or consumption of alcohol by a minor and being a minor inside a tavern. Bond was set at $5,000.

According to the police report, Waid was making rude comments to Windy Roberts and allegedly grabbed her buttocks prior to the incident. The Robertses and others in the bar reportedly asked Waid to leave them alone because they didn't want any trouble. Waid then allegedly shook hands with William Roberts and wished everyone a Merry Christmas before striking Roberts in the head repeatedly with a beer bottle until other patrons of the bar restrained him. [[In-content Ad]]