On July 4, at approximately 3 p.m., a confrontation between two male adults took place in the parking lot of Elsie's Magic Skillet, 8166 Richmond Highway. As a result, one suffered the lose of an eye and the other has been arrested for malicious wounding.
The victim, Charles Gaythen Bryant III, 42, was rushed to Inova Fairfax Hospital by a Fairfax County Fire and Rescue EMS unit, according to Fire Department records. He was admitted and treated for multiple injuries from a blunt instrument and severe lacerations to his eye and eye socket, family members verified.
According to Fairfax County Police, Mount Vernon Station, Michael J. Plues, 41, of 5546 Woodlawn Manor Court, Mount Vernon section of Alexandria, was arrested July 11, and charged with "malicious wounding and making telephone threats."
After being brought before Mount Vernon District Magistrate Palamore, Plues was released on $6,000 bond, Fairfax County Chief Magistrate Claude Behler reported. He received a preliminary hearing in Fairfax County General District Court on July 12.
Bryant, a Woodlawn resident, said, "I received a phone call on June 27, from Plues threatening to take a baseball bat to my head and kill me. That's why I think this whole thing was premeditated."
As explained by Bryant, "I had gone to the restaurant to give my future fiancee some roses earlier in the day. Then I came back in the afternoon to make plans for that evening.
"When I parked my car I saw Plues in the parking lot so I tried to talk to him man-to-man about the phone calls. We started yelling at each other and that's when he pulled the bat out of his vehicle."
Bryant said that he kept walking toward Plues, "That's when he hit me with the bat in the shoulder and rib cage but I took it away from him and he [Plues] ran. I went into the restaurant to use the restroom to clean up because I had a couple of cuts."
UPON EXITING the restaurant, Bryant said he was walking to his car in the back parking lot when Plues attacked him again, "with what looked like an umbrella. I didn't see him coming and that's when I had my eye injured."
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue EMS and local police were called by Jennifer Anderson, a waitress at the restaurant and Bryant's girl friend. She stated that she had also dated Plues at one time. According to Bryant that was the subject of the alleged threatening phone calls.
Soon after EMS personnel arrived and began administering treatment to Bryant, Fairfax County Police officers Gary Tuggle and James Krouse arrived, according to Lt. Brian McAndrew, investigating officer, Mount Vernon Police Station.
By the time police arrived on the scene Plues had left and the officers were not aware of the severity of the wound to Bryant's eye, according to police. Their original report listed the incident as disorderly conduct based on "a mutual combat situation," according to Lt. Michael Ditmer, acting commander, Mount Vernon Police Station, at the time.
Upon examination at the hospital, physicians decided the damage was so extensive the eye had to be removed, according to Bryant.
"I also have about 18 stitches in the area of the eye socket," Bryant explained, after being discharged from the hospital three days later.
POLICE REMAINED unaware Bryant's injures were so severe until that fact was brought to their attention, according to police spokespersons. It was at that time they changed the charges from the lesser "disorderly conduct" to the more serious "malicious wounding" and sought a warrant for Plues' arrest.
Following his release from the hospital Bryant was joined by Anderson in filing charges against Plues, according to police records. A warrant was issued through the Mount Vernon Magistrate's office and Plues was taken into custody last weekend. No official trial date has been set at this time.
After several attempts to reach Plues in person and by telephone, Plues returned a telephone call on the night of July 13. In that conversation, Plues stated, "I didn't do this. I was attacked by this guy. I am totally innocent."
However, given the opportunity to tell his side of the story, Plues declared, "I won't tell you anything until I know what the police are saying."
When told the police had charged him with malicious wounding and telephone threats, Plues refused to discuss the matter further. Prior to breaking off the conversation he continued to proclaim his innocence, insisting he had been provoked by Bryant.
Since the incident, Plues' mother, Elsie Plues, who, according to court records, posted the $6,000 bond, has consummated the sale of the restaurant, which has been underway for some period of time. It is now under new ownership and management. However, the name remains the same at this time.