close

Two accused in golf course dispute get mulligans

By Miles Layton jmlayton@heraldstandard.Com 3 min read

Two Uniontown men, who were charged after a heated dispute which allegedly turned into a fight over the rules of golf that left one man with a mild concussion, had their case dismissed Wednesday.

Roger Lee Harris, 63, of 21 Taft Ave. was charged with aggravated and simple assault and Bryan Louis Bandes, 42, of 88 Wind Ridge Road was charged with simple assault following the alleged fight Aug. 3 on the seventh fairway at Springdale Golf Course in South Union Township.

During their preliminary hearing Wednesday, Magisterial District Judge Robert Breakiron said the case was dismissed because Harris and Bandes refused to testify against each other.

Breakiron admonished Harris and Bandes for their ungentlemanly conduct.

“Learn how to conduct yourselves on a golf course. I don’t want you to be back again in this courtroom or I’m going to assess you two penalty strokes,” Breakiron said with a smile.

After the case was dismissed, the attorneys for Harris and Bandes concluded that was the best way to resolve the misunderstanding.

Harris’ attorney, Jeremy Davis, said, “This was a big misunderstanding on that golf course, but they’ve decided to go their separate ways and not have any issues from here on out.”

Bandes’ attorney, Brian Teslovich, said, “I think this was a fair resolution. The parties are satisfied and certainly it is a matter that shouldn’t go any further.”

The men were part of a group of five playing a round of golf at the course when their game was waylaid by rain, state police Trooper George Mrosko wrote in the affidavit of probable cause.

When the rain stopped, the men resumed playing golf.

“There was a conversation and somewhat heated debate regarding the rules involving ‘casual water’ on the fifth green, which was resolved,” Mrosko wrote.

The men played the next hole without any further incident, and Harris and Bandes teed off and ended up about even on opposite sides of the fairway on the seventh green, according to the affidavit.

“The rule debate reignited when (Bandes) stated they are ‘rolling the ball on the fairway.’ (Harris) took odds with that. Words were exchanged. This went back and forth,” Mrosko wrote.

Harris walked across the fairway, still saying things to Bandes and had his golf club in Bandes’ face, according the affidavit.

Bandes told Harris to move the club.

“At this point (Harris), who had his club in his hand, gripping it up near the head, swung the club, striking (Bandes) in the left forearm and top of the head,” Mrosko wrote. “(Bandes) goes down from the blow on all fours.”

Police said Bandes got back up, and a scuffle ensued, leaving both men on the ground.

During that fight, Bandes used his fist to hit Harris in the left side of his face and lower lip, the complaint stated.

Bandes suffered a mild concussion and swelling and redness to his left forearm and head from allegedly being hit by a No. 3 wood.

Harris suffered swelling to the left portion of his face and jaw, a busted lip and a scratch near his eye, Mrosko said.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $4.79/week.

Subscribe Today