PEA RIDGE — Four men were arrested and the investigation is continuing into an assault that occurred Thursday night on the parking lot of Blackhawk Stadium.

Three Blackhawk football players are suspended from the team after being arrested Friday for battery in connection with an incident in which a 22-year-old man was beaten.

“They’re suspended for now,” head football coach Tony Travis said.

The arrests followed an investigation Thursday night when Aaron Hinton, 22, of Pea Ridge, reported at 11:15 p.m. he had been called to the Pea Ridge football field where several males approached him and began hitting him. The assault apparently stemmed from an earlier incident involving a female relative of one of the men who reported that the man attacked had committed a crime against her. That incident is now also under investigation.

On Thursday night, police arrested Kyle Westerdale, 18, Pea Ridge, for second-degree battery (a felony) and engaging in violent criminal group activity. He was released from the Benton County Jail Saturday on a $5,000 bond.

As the investigation continued Friday morning, police went to the high school where they picked up two students to take to the station for questioning.

A third was contacted at his home and questioned at the police department.

Dalton Fisher, 18, was arrested shortly after noon and charged with misdemeanor battery in the third degree and engagement in violent criminal group activity, an enhancement. He was released from the Benton County Jail Saturday on a $1,000 bond.

Two 17-year-old males were also arrested. One was cited for misdemeanor battery III as well as the enhancement and released to the custody of his parents.

The second was booked into Benton County Juvenile Detention Center for felony second-degree battery as well as the enhancement. He appeared before a judge Monday, where he pleaded not guilty to juvenile delinquency petition charging him with misdemeanor battery in the third degree. The charge was reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor by the prosecutor’s office. His trial wasset for 10 a.m. Nov. 22.

All four men were charged with engaging in violent criminal group activity, an enhancement.

According to the Arkansas state statutes, the enhancement involves any person who violates an provision of Arkansas law that is a crime of violence while acting in concert with two or more other persons is subject to enhanced penalties.

If convicted of the charge, the classification and penalty range is increased by one classification.

“The fact that there were several people against one prompted the addition of the enhancement,” Police Chief Tim Ledbetter said.

All three men were ordered by the judge to have no contact with the victim or the other persons involved.

News, Pages 6 on 09/22/2010