ASSAULTED.
BURK’S FALLS – A controversial blog may be the cause of an assault in Burk’s Falls.
According to Acting OPP Staff Sgt. Carlo Berardi, few details can be released into an incident that took place late Sunday afternoon, as the investigation is ongoing.
However, according to the police report, a 49-year-old Kearney man was charged with assault and disturbing the peace.
According to 48-year-old Jeff Johnston, who was the alleged victim in the incident, he and his family, including his father, the former mayor of Kearney, and his nine-year-old daughter were leaving the Village Pub and Eatery in Burk’s Falls when a man called Johnston a coward.
According to Johnston’s mother Donna, the verbal attack was directed toward both men, however it was her son who took the brunt.
Johnston’s daughter was whisked away to the car by Johnston’s wife as the incident escalated.
Johnston said that the man called him a coward for not signing his name as the author of a controversial political blog in The Town of Kearney. However, both Johnson and his father maintain that they are not responsible for the blog.
The argument moved into the street, where the accused allegedly pushed him.
“At one point they were rolling around on the street apparently,” said Johnston’s mother, who had gone back into the restaurant to get staff to call police.
Johnston says his knee had given way, which is why the two men ended up on the ground. He also said he was punched repeatedly by the accused.
Paramedics attended the scene and treated Johnston, who sustained a number of injuries in the altercation including a black eye, swollen lip and a bump on the head.
“It looks a lot worse than it feels,” said Johnston.
“We were absolutely blown away,” said his mother. “We were mortified.”
She says the incident was traumatic for Johnston’s daughter. The family was contacted by Victim Services after the incident who offered counsel to the family.
Witnesses to the incident declined comment.