During a news conference Tuesday, 10th Judicial District Attorney General Steve Crump announced that the man who allegedly assaulted the Bradley County Sheriff on Thursday has been placed on a $500,000 bond.
He said the defendant, Gregory Mathis, 23, committed the offense while on a $20,000 bond for another aggravated assault he had been arrested for only four days beforehand.
According to arrest records, on April 24, an officer who responded to a report of a fight in progress at 360 High St. found Mathis, covered in blood, walking in the road. Mathis told the officer the blood wasn’t his and when another officer arrived, authorities found Adam Gonzalez lying in the driveway, unconscious and also covered in blood.
An officer said the victim’s eyes were starting to swell shut and he was missing teeth. EMS arrived on scene to treat Gonzalez. He was transported to Erlanger hospital with head trauma.
Mathis told officers he was giving Gonzalez a ride home from work when the two began arguing. He said he felt disrespected by Gonzalez and assaulted him when they got to High Street.
In the more recent assault, Sheriff Eric Watson said he was driving to Sonic when he saw the defendant fighting with his girlfriend on 25th Street and he stopped to intervene, according to arrest records.
Watson said he identified himself as the sheriff, but the defendant said, “get out of here, this is none of your business,” before striking him in the chest and ribs multiple times. Watson and a bystander were able to take the defendant to the ground while another bystander escorted Mathis’ girlfriend away, but he continued to fight, biting Watson and choking him with his own tie.
Two Cleveland police officers responded to the scene and helped subdue the defendant, but one had his nose broken and the other received several scrapes and cuts from the scuffle.
Officers noted that Mathis smelled strongly of alcohol and when he was asked if he had had anything to drink, Mathis said, “Yes, but not enough.”
Contact staff writer Emmett Gienapp at egienapp@times freepress.com or 423-757-6731.