Three men arrested in rock throwing ruckus outside Marathon bar

Three men arrested in rock throwing ruckus outside Marathon bar

Three men were arrested early Friday morning after a motorist tried to run over two men throwing rocks at his car in a bar room argument gone awry.

William Cobaugh, 49, of Duck Key, was charged with battery, property damage and throwing a missile or weapon into a dwelling, vehicle, building or aircraft.

Ian Matthew Hildebrand, 32, of Key Largo, was charged with property damage and throwing a missile or weapon into a dwelling, vehicle, building or aircraft.

Nicholas Michael Jones, 22, of Marathon, was charged with aggravated assault and aggravated battery.

Sgt. Mark Jones and Deputies Anfernee Rodriguez, Edward Swogger and George Zakariadze responded to the parking lot and general area between the Tom Thumb gas station and Brass Monkey bar at 2:15 a.m. Deputy Zakariadze arrived to find Deputy Swogger rendering aid to Hildebrand. The others involved as well as witnesses were also on scene. A red, Mitsubishi with a damaged windshield was also there.

The incident can be described thusly after multiple interviews and witness statements: Cobaugh and Hildebrand were at the Brass Monkey bar with a woman known to Jones. Jones would later claim the woman was his girlfriend. Cobaugh claimed Jones and the woman were no longer together and Jones had been harassing the woman. When Jones arrived at the bar, Cobaugh punched him in the face in what Cobaugh described as a preemptive strike given that Jones was acting aggressive and “had that look in his eyes.” Jones then left the bar.

Cobaugh and Hildebrand claim they then went outside and attempted to leave. Both claim Jones attempted to crash into their vehicle. Cobaugh claimed they parked the vehicle near the Tom Thumb and got out. Cobaugh claimed Jones then tried to run them over in a red Mitsubishi. Jones, however, claimed both men were chasing him while he was in the red Mitsubishi. One witnesses stated he saw a red, Mitsubishi, intentionally trying to run over two men (identified as Cobaugh and Hildebrand), so the two men began throwing rocks at the red, Mitsubishi. The rocks shattered the windshield of the Mitsubishi at some point. Another witness stated he saw two men (identified as Cobaugh and Hildebrand) climbing on parked cars in order to avoid being struck by the red, Mitsubishi.

Jones argued Cobaugh and Hildebrand were kicking and punching his car and he was trying to get away from them. Jones said the rock that shattered the windshield nearly struck him, adding that he was attempting to leave.

All three men were taken to jail.

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