MOUND STREET

Battery

A University of Wisconsin-Whitewater student was attacked with a baseball bat outside of a house party on Mound Street early Sunday morning, a Madison Police Department report said.

The report said the 20-year-old student was outside the party when a man holding a bat approached him, swung the bat and broke the victim’s glass beer mug, resulting in the victim cutting his hand.

The man continued to attack, and the two “grappled on the ground” briefly before the victim was able to retreat back to the house where the party was.

MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain said the victim was transported from the area and received multiple stitches for his hand at a hospital.

DeSpain said the attack was unrelated to the victim not being a student from the area, and the victim said it was unprovoked.

“Anytime you have people consuming alcohol there’s the potential for a fight to take place between two people,” DeSpain said.

He said the victim believed the man lived in one of the residences nearby the one where the party was taking place. The victim described the suspect as being 20-25 years old.

“We’ve warned people about who they allow into their houses, because someone may steal things or there may be violence,” DeSpain said. “In this case, the person that attacked [the victim] wasn’t at the party.”

EAST TOWNE MALL

Sexual Assault

A 16-year-old girl reported she was sexually assaulted after leaving East Towne Mall with three men, an MPD report said.

The girl met the men at the mall and left with them. She was later sexually assaulted, the report said.

DeSpain said the victim was acquainted with at least one of the men, who was arrested Feb. 29. MPD is still seeking the other two men, but they have identified persons of interest to the case. The arrested suspect is 24-year-old Howard Eskridge.

He said the girl has been interviewed a couple of times by MPD.

CITY OF MADISON

Drug Distribution

Three Madison residents were charged with multiple counts related to distributing crack cocaine, a United States Department of Justice statement said.

The individuals, Ryan Cook, 20, Calvin Balentine, 29, and Basil Greene, 21, were all charged with distributing cocaine in the Madison area, the statement said. Additionally, Greene and Cook were charged with possession of firearms.

If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison for each drug count.

Cook must serve at least five years, as he was allegedly carrying 28 grams of crack cocaine at one time. Balentine and Greene must serve at least four years if convicted for using telephones to facilitate their drug deals, the statement said.