A Bushnell man reportedly celebrated his 30th birthday by drinking hard liquor and beating up a woman at his party.
The victim told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy that Blake Austin Reko showed up at the party on Saturday night, became highly intoxicated and battered her. The incident location was redacted from the sheriff’s office report but was a private residence in Marion County.
The victim said Reko was outside screaming and yelling at her and then pushed her to the ground, causing her to fall onto her backside. She said he then held her down by her shoulders. The victim said she started to fight back a full-scale physical altercation was under way, the report said.
The victim said Reko’s friend started yelling for him to get off her and tried to separate them. She said Reko’s girlfriend also intervened and was able to pull him back. The victim said once she and Reko were separated, her mother called 911, according to the report.
The deputy observed a raised lump on the right rear side of the victim’s head, which she said was painful to the touch. The victim said she also had soreness and bruising on her right hip/buttocks. She was taken by Marion County Fire Rescue to an undisclosed medical treatment facility, the report said.
Reko’s girlfriend said she arrived at the party with him and everyone was drinking. She said she wanted to protect Reko and would only say he and the victim were “at each other” and she stepped in to separate them. She said she was able to get him to the back bedroom, where she held him until he fell asleep, according to the report.
A family friend who was at the party said Reko does not normally drink hard liquor but did this evening. She said he was acting crazy and she has never seen him act in this manner. The friend said she heard yelling between Reko and the victim and then saw him push the victim to the ground, the report said.
The friend said the victim got up and she and Reko started to fight each other. She said at some point in the altercation, the victim got a stick and said she was going to, “beat his ass.” The friend said Reko’s girlfriend was able to get him in the residence, where he calmed down, according to the report.
After being advised of his Miranda rights, Reko told the deputy he was having a good time at the party and didn’t know what happened. He denied any physical altercation and said he didn’t know where the scratch on the back of his left shoulder and small scratch/redness near his mouth came from. Reko’s friend, who tried to stop the fight, was too drunk to provide a statement, the report said.
Reko was determined to be the primary aggressor and charged with simple battery. He was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was still being held Monday – his birthday – on $250 bond. He’ll appear in Marion County Court on Oct. 1.