Five men arrested after Cedar Rapids golf club assault

Five Cedar Rapids men were arrested after beating up a man who tried to break up a fight, police said.

Emmanuel Pledge, 28, Cinque Pledge, 30, Jermonda Pledge, 27, and Jovan Walton, 29, and James Martin, 56, all of Cedar Rapids, have each been charged with assault causing bodily injury. They are accused of assaulting Tim Lang, 45, at 1222 O Ave. Pl. NE.

Police Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said police were initially called to the apartment complex around 4:30 a.m. Saturday when a woman reported that her boyfriend, Emmanuel Pledge, took her dog after they got into an argument. Police learned that Lang, a downstairs neighbor in the apartment building, had tried to intervene and was punched by several men in the hallway.

"He was being a good neighbor and trying to break it up," Hamblin said.

At some point, the shaft of a golf club was used to assault Lang, police said. He suffered bruises and cuts to his body, but declined medical treatment.

Hamblin said Lang's son got the men off his father and drug him back into his apartment. The son fought back against the men and injured Emmanuel Pledge and James Martin. Police took them to a hospital to be evaluated on the way to the Linn County Jail with the other three men.

Emmanuel pledge is charged with two counts of assault causing bodily injury, while Cinque Pledge, Jermonda Pledge and Jovan Walton also face charges of disorderly conduct.