WATERVILLE — Three men will head to court Jan. 8 after being arrested early Saturday when police responded to a reported fight in a parking lot off Spring Street Extension.

When police arrived at 12:45 a.m., they found a man lying on the ground with a face injury. He was bleeding from the face and head and had reportedly been struck with a 2-by-4-inch piece of lumber, according to Deputy Police Chief Charles Rumsey.

Rumsey said Monday that while police were trying to determine exactly what happened during the melee, they arrested three men who were wanted on charges unrelated to the reported fight: Joshua Wheaton, 26, of Norridgewock, was charged with a probation hold and refusing to submit to arrest or detention; Ryan Gormley, 21, of 4 Main Place, was wanted out of Kennebec County for unpaid fines and fees; and Jeremy Brown, 27, of 16 Gilman St., Apt. 4, was wanted on two counts of unpaid fines, one out of Waldo County Superior Court and another from Waterville District Court.

Rumsey said police were called to the parking lot behind Silver Street Tavern and an officer saw a large group of people running toward an alley between Cancun restaurant and the tavern.

Wheaton took off running as an officer was trying to identify him, Rumsey said.

“We gave chase and took him to the ground and placed him in custody and determined that he was on probation and was violating his probation by consuming alcohol,” Rumsey said.

Police also encountered Gormley and Brown at that time, he said.

Meanwhile, the man who was on the ground and bleeding near Val Shell’s Pawn Shop indicated he had been in a fight, Rumsey said.

Rumsey said the victim told police he did not want to press charges against anyone and he did not want police to investigate the incident.

He was taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center’s Thayer Campus, Rumsey said.

He said a female who identified herself as the victim’s girlfriend said her boyfriend been assaulted by a group of males and one had struck him with a 2-by-4 piece of lumber.

Rumsey said no investigation is pending because the victim did not want to press charges but if he changes his mind, police will open an investigation.

Wheaton, Gormley and Brown were taken to Kennebec County Jail in Augusta. Brown and Gormley were released Monday and Wheaton remained at the jail Monday evening, according to a jail spokeswoman.

Amy Calder — 861-9247
acalder@centralmaine.com