WILLMAR -- A 22-year-old Willmar man and a 17-year-old boy have both been charged with felony second-degree assault, and second- and third-degree riot for their roles in an alleged fight over a girl.
Unconditional bail was set at $50,000 for Efren Vasquez, 22, who appeared in court Friday morning. Conditional bail was allowed for $1,000, provided he have no contact with others involved in the case and possess no weapons. His next appearance is May 10 in Kandiyohi County District Court.
Jeremy Josh Williams appeared Thursday on the charges. The juvenile was ordered to be held at Prairie Lakes Youth Programs. His next court hearing is May 6.
Felony charges against 16- and 17-year-olds are public record.
A third person, Scott Riley Olson, 19, of Willmar, appeared Thursday on three misdemeanor charges of fifth-degree assault and underage consumption for his role in the incident. His next court date is May 18.
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According to the complaint against Vasquez and Williams, Willmar police were called around 9 p.m. Wednesday to a fight in progress near the intersection of 16th Street and 13th Avenue Northeast. Another caller reported a woman was being beaten up and that the suspects had left the area in a white car.
An officer located the car, pursued and stopped it while another officer went to the scene. At the scene, it was reported that the four men had come to the home to start a fight with a man, and that two others at the scene also were assaulted -- one of them by Olson.
The man allegedly sought by the four men told officers that he had anticipated a mutual fight with Williams, but that everything changed when he saw Williams get a bat from his vehicle and that the others were carrying knives. He said that Williams had a bat and that Vasquez came from behind the vehicle with a knife and chased him to his home. Two others had run behind the men, but didn't have weapons.
The man said Williams had broken off a relationship with a girl, who was now hanging out with him.
Officers took the man to the location where the officer had stopped the vehicle and he positively identified Williams as the person with the bat and Vasquez as having a knife and a pipe and for chasing him. He said the other two men were involved, but didn't have weapons.
In an interview, Vasquez admitted to chasing the man down the street, but denied having any weapons. A search of the vehicle revealed a stainless steel flip-style knife in the glove box. Vasquez was the front-seat passenger in the vehicle.
Williams allegedly told officers he didn't have any weapons, that he was walking toward the house and the man came out with a bat. He said he went back to the car and that the other guys ran toward the man, but he didn't pursue them. Later, he said he grabbed a metal pipe from the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
