Downtown bar patron attacked

The victim was attacked with a box cutter.

By Jordan Cook

Published Sept. 3, 2010

Police arrested a homeless man after he was accused of attacking a patron at a downtown bar.

Jimmy Ward, 51, was removed from Willie's Pub and Pool at 1109 E. Broadway after he pushed an employee and caused a disturbance. He had been drinking, according to a report from the Columbia Police Department.

After numerous attempts to return, a bouncer at the door tried to prevent Ward's re-entry.

The victim, who also worked at Willie's, joined the bouncer at the door for conversation because he was there socially for the night. Then, Ward became violent and aggressively approached the man. To keep Ward outside the bar, the victim pushed and hit Ward. Ward slashed the victim on the nose and forearm with a box cutter from his pocket, the police report stated.

"Small lacerations both, but we had medics respond who took him to University Hospital where he was treated," CPD spokeswoman Jessie Haden said.

After the victim was cut, people at the bar tackled Ward to keep him from harming anyone else.

"We were dispatched to Willie's at about 10:30 p.m. in reference (to) a disturbance," Haden said. "An MUPD officer heard the call and arrived before we did to assist and had detained Ward for us, and we really appreciate that. He was arrested for first-degree assault, armed criminal action, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia."

Officers transported Ward to the Boone County Jail.

"Nothing as far as this level has occurred at the bar in the 10 years I've been here," said Chad Morrow, general manager of Willie's Pub and Pool. "It has made us reiterate our training policies to new employees, but our precautions remain the same as they were before."

Morrow has not had bad experiences with the homeless prior to Sunday's crime.

"Homeless people are found around downtown businesses, but 99.9 percent of the time that is not a problem," Morrow said. "I would hate for people to think homeless people cause trouble because of this isolated incident."

Morrow also hopes the crime will not stop people from coming to Willie's or to downtown Columbia itself.

"People should not be deterred from downtown and think it is not safe because of this," Morrow said.