Bouncer charged in bar incident that left patron hospitalized
By LARRY HOBBS
lhobbs@thebrunswicknews.com 9 hrs ago
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Randall Collins
A bouncer at Brogen’s South in the Pier Village on St. Simons Island has been arrested and charged with aggravated battery after allegedly delivering a punch that landed a 21-year-old man in the hospital with brain injuries, Glynn County police said.
Randall Collins, 32, of Brunswick was arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery, two counts of misdemeanor battery and one count of misdemeanor simple battery. Collins remained in the Glynn County Detention late Wednesday afternoon without bond.
According to a police report, an altercation between Collins and customer Elijjah Mukes began inside the restaurant and pub at around 1:48 a.m. Monday as staff were telling patrons to leave.
Collins and another employee alleged Mukes hit Collins with a beer bottle during the argument, but friends of Mukes relayed to police that the bottle flew from Mukes’ hand as Collins shoved him “off his feet,” according to the police report.
There apparently was a second confrontation between the two outside the establishment, according to the police report. However, the initial police report is unclear exactly what occurred outside.
Mukes, a Glynn County resident, was “wearing no shirt and laying on the ground” outside when the first police officer arrived amid a chaotic scene, the police report said.
Collins told police that Mukes took a swing at him at the door and missed, then Collins said he “punched Eli in the face,” the report said. He told police Eli took off his shirt and attempted to fight again, the report said.
Mukes’ mother told police several of her son’s friends allege that Collins attacked him unprovoked. Friends told Mukes’ mom “that Eli was walking away after getting beat up the first time,” the report said, “and he was trying to leave when Randall approached and began beating Eli again.”
A Brogen’s manager said the establishment had surveillance video inside and outside. However, police could not get access to the video at the time of the incident, the report said. It is unclear whether police have since viewed that video.
Mukes was taken by ambulance to Southeast Georgia Health System’s Brunswick hospital. He was transferred to UF Health Jacksonville after it was discovered he suffered bleeding on the brain, the police report said.
Facebook posts from Mukes’ father and other family members indicate that his condition is improving, though he remains hospitalized.
One on-scene witness, whom the officer said “appeared mostly sober,” alleged that Mukes did hit Collins with a beer bottle inside the bar. But, the witness told police, it was allegedly all Collins after that. The witness said “it ‘Triggered an a#$ whooping like I’ve never seen,” the report said. The witness said Randall “hit him so many times, and just kept hitting him.”
The investigation is ongoing, police said. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call Glynn County Police Investigator Parker Marcy at 912-279-2919.