Two assaults occur as alleged assailants punch separate motorists

The IU Police Department arrested Brian Gardner, a 29-year-old man from Las Vegas, early Wednesday morning on charges of assault near the intersection of Fifth Street and Indiana Avenue, said IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger, reading from the police report. At about 1:00 a.m., Minger said officers observed Gardner yelling into the rear of the driver side window of a black SUV. \nThe passenger, who Minger said the officers identified as the victim, suffered a bloody lip and had a swollen upper and lower lip with an abrasion on the lower. Witnesses at the scene concurred that he had been struck two or three times in the face by Gardner, Minger said. \nAccording to the report, the incident started when Gardner was passing by the victim's vehicle and an exchange of words took place. The victim responded by saying "peace" and held up the peace symbol with his fingers. Minger said the report then states Gardner approached the victim, who yelled something before Gardner struck him in the face. \nThe report also stated Gardner appeared intoxicated as "his eyes were glassy and he was slurring his words." He was then arrested and booked into the jail.