IU student faces assault charges after Sunday incident

An IU student was arrested early Sunday morning for assaulting a man near the intersection of Eighth and Dunn streets, said IU Police Department Captain Jerry Minger, reading from a police report.\nMatthew B. Daspin, 20, faces preliminary charges of battery.\nAt about 2:45 a.m., IUPD Officer Stephen Luce was dispatched to the intersection of Eighth and Dunn streets, where someone was reported to be carrying a baseball bat around, Minger said. When officers arrived, a man walking by Bloomington Bagel Company was bleeding from the face, Minger said. A witness later told Luce he didn’t see anyone fighting, but he did see a large male swinging a stick or baseball bat and yelling at people, Minger said.\nBloomington Police Department officers were called to the scene and found Daspin in a nearby house, Minger said. Daspin’s shirt was clean, but his pants and shoes had blood on them and he matched the description of the person who assaulted the victim. Daspin didn’t admit to hitting or striking the victim, but said the two did get into a “friendly wrestling match,” Minger said. Daspin said the victim started the fight by speaking rudely to him and coming onto Daspin’s property, Minger said. Daspin also had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and smelled like alcohol, Minger said.\nDaspin was arrested and transported to the Monroe County Jail.