Charges, Bruises At Lottery Winner's House
LINCOLN PARK (WWJ/AP) - A dispute over grass clippings at the home of a Michigan lottery winner has led to injuries and criminal charges.
Police say 46-year-old Victor Bartola of Lincoln Park was beaten up after moving Amanda Clayton's grass clippings off his driveway and onto her property Sunday.
Lt. John Martin told The Detroit News that three people returned with a knife, baseball bat and pellet gun.
On Wednesday, 24-year-old Robert Hill, of Detroit, and 26-year-old Saliah Algahmi, of Ecorse, were arraigned and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon. Investigators say Hill threatened Bartola with a knife, while Algahmi is accused of using a bat in the attack.
On Thursday, 18-year-old Samantha Benefield, of Wyandotte, was also charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in Bartola's attack.
The fourth person, 19-year-old Ashley Combs, of Lincoln Park, was also arraigned Thursday on assault charges for allegedly attacking Rachel Hill, who police say accompanied the suspects to Bartola's home. Combs was at Bartola's home, but her relation to Bartola is unclear, The Detroit News reported.
Martin said Bartola claimed Clayton paid the suspects to attack him, but there's no information to substantiate that claim. Bartola was treated at a hospital for unspecified injuries.
A preliminary examination for all four defendants is set for Sept. 4.
Clayton was not charged in the incident. She recently made headlines when she pleaded no contest to welfare fraud. Clayton collected about $5,500 in food aid and medical benefits after winning a $735,000 lottery prize, before taxes, last year.
Clayton's lawyer, John Dakmak, says Clayton didn't solicit anyone to attack her neighbor.
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