Alcohol likely a contributing factor
By Jon Johnson
GRAHAM COUNTY – A Graham County man was flown to Banner – University Medical Center Tucson on Dec. 10 after suffering multiple breaks to his C1 and C2 vertebrae during an altercation with his neighbor over a truck parked in the injured man’s driveway.
According to statements from the parties involved, the neighbor had allowed his neighbor to the east of his residence on E. 20th Street to park on his property for a large gathering honoring the resident’s mother who had died. One of the people attending the gathering had inadvertently parked his truck in the injured man’s driveway.
The injured man then came to the first neighbor and yelled at him to move the truck. The neighbor said the man was obviously intoxicated and he tried to inform him of the situation and told him to go next door and locate the owner of the truck because he didn’t know who it was.
The argument continued, however, and the neighbor then attempted to return to his house but the injured man followed and attempted to go inside as well, according to the neighbor’s statement. A scuffle ensued and the neighbor elbowed the injured man near the back of his head after the man had grabbed him by the throat with both hands. The neighbor used his elbow because he had recently had surgery on an injured finger.
The neighbor reported the injured man fell and was bleeding from the back of his head. The neighbor and another person from the gathering who heard the commotion then helped the injured man back to his residence.
After being taken to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center, the injured man said the whole thing was a big misunderstanding. He advised that he did grab his neighbor by the throat but that he did so because he thought he had something in his hand and was going to hit him with it. None of the parties wished to pursue charges of any kind.
