Warren man arraigned in bloody baseball bat attack on housemate

Joel Pollard

A Warren man pleaded not guilty Monday to a felony assault charge after allegedly attacking his housemate with a baseball bat, according to court records and police reports.

Joel Pollard, 61, of 156 Washington St. NE, was arrested after Warren police were called to his Washington Street NE home around 6:10 a.m. Monday, following a report of an assault on one of the residents.

Officers reported finding a male victim seated on the bathroom floor in a large pool of blood, suffering from severe head injuries. Pollard, who also resides at the same address, was allegedly holding a wooden baseball bat in one hand and spraying Lysol on the injured man. The police report indicated the victim was holding the other end of the bat and was covered in blood to the point where his shirt was soaked.

According to the police report, Pollard told officers he was flattening the victim's bicycle tires when the victim confronted him with the bat. Pollard claimed he took the bat and began striking the victim on the head. He allegedly sprayed Lysol on the victim because he wouldn't release his grip on the bat.

The injured man told officers he caught Pollard attempting to flatten his bicycle tires and yelled at him to stop. He said he grabbed the baseball bat to stop the damage, at which point Pollard wrestled it away and began striking him.

Paramedics transported the victim to St. Joseph's Hospital for treatment. Pollard was booked into the Trumbull County Jail on the felonious assault charge.

Pollard appeared for arraignment in Warren Municipal Court.  Judge Patricia Knepp scheduled another hearing for May 22.