The case of a local tavern owner, charged with felonious assault in connection with an Oct. 19 fight in his bar, will be heard by a jury in Trumbull County Eastern District Court.

Trial is set for 10 a.m. Jan. 23 in Brookfield for Anthony Delgros, 25, owner of RJ's at 759 Brookfield Ave. S.E., and William Clark, 27, of 98 Todd Ave., Hermitage.

Both men on Thursday reserved their rights to a pretrial so their cases can be heard by a jury, said an Eastern District Court clerk. Delgros is charged with felonious assault; Clark is charged with assault and criminal damaging.

According to police reports, Delgros allegedly hit several patrons with a baseball bat after a fight broke out at 2:26 a.m.

Witnesses told police Clark and another patron argued over a girl. When Clark was asked to leave the bar, he began throwing punches and fighting with several patrons, police said.

While Delgros and others scuffled to kick out Clark, one person was punched in the mouth and a disc jockey was bitten on the hand, police said.

An employee told police he was upset because Delgros grabbed a large baseball bat and began hitting everyone with it, according to the police report. Though the employee refused to press charges, he said Delgros purposely hit him in the stomach with the bat, the report said.

Clark told police Delgros hit him several times in the head with the bat. One witness, John Swab, 22, of Brookfield, confirmed with police that he saw Delgros hit Clark outside the bar with the bat. Swab said Delgros also hit him on the back of the head with the bat, leaving a large lump, police reports said.

Police took the bat for safe keeping but later admitted it as evidence.

Delgros acknowledged to police that he hit Clark with the bat; police charged Delgros Oct. 30.

Clark pleaded innocent at his arraignment Oct. 24 and was warned by Judge Ronald J. Rice not to go into any Ohio establishments that serve alcohol.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Larissa Theodore at:

ltheodore@sharonherald.com