September 7, 2017
By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –
The condition of a seriously injured victim recovering in an Oklahoma City hospital from a fight early Sunday morning remains the same while a suspect thought to be involved in the altercation has been arrested.
A spokesperson at OU Medical Center says 23-year-old Westin Cole, from Sentinel, is reported to be in serious condition at news time.
21-year-old Conner Lee Smith, of Elk City, bonded out of the Beckham County Detention Center on Tuesday on a $5-thousand dollar bond after being charged with “maiming,” a a criminal felony.
According to a story in the Beckham County Record, Cole was in surgery Sunday to alleviate swelling on the brain as a result of his head hitting street pavement after he collapsed from being struck in a fight.
The story says a social media site quotes what is believed to be family members saying that doctors performed surgery, removing part of Cole’s skull.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Cole was taken, first, to Great Plains Medical Center where he remained unconscious. Medical staff told police that Cole had received serious injuries.
The court document says that the suspect had been in a car with four others that attempted to attend a party in the early morning hours at a home in the 300 block of South Boone Avenue in Elk City. They were told that they were unwelcome upon arrival and left only to return a few minutes later.
The affidavit says witnesses at the party allege they saw Smith get out of the vehicle, a gray Dodge Charger and was confronted by three individuals already at the party, including Cole, who told Smith he wasn’t welcome and needed to leave. The two argued. Conner allegedly threatened Cole, the two, reportedly “chest bumped, several times,” and Conner allegedly struck Cole once, knocking him out. Witnesses say Cole hit the pavement with his head when he fell.
Following the punch, Conner allegedly told the others standing nearby, “See what I did to your friend? Who wants it next?”
When police arrived, they found Cole in the grass after witnesses moved him from the street where the altercation took place.
Conner’s initial appearance in District Court was Thursday morning and he’s due back in court for a preliminary hearing on November 13.
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