Lisbon man arrested after punching driver for passing him

LISBON - A 29-year-old Lisbon man assaulted a man Tuesday, breaking his jaw in three places, police said.

According to a criminal complaint, Eric Justin Beal, of 211 South Jackson St., is charged with assault causing serious injury, a serious misdemeanor, after punching 53-year-old Douglas Blinks, of rural Lisbon, for apparently cutting Beal off on Sutliff Road, Lisbon police Chief Rick Scott said.

Police said Blinks was driving on Sutliff Road to take his car in for repair at Fred's Auto, 110 E. Lincoln Ave. in Lisbon, when he passed a Buick LeSabre driven by Beal with two other male passengers.

When he arrived at the shop, Blinks told police the LeSabre parked near him and Beal got out and punched him in the face, knocking him down, Scott said.

"Beal was upset that the guy passed him on the road," Scott said, adding Blinks managed to get up and grab a shovel from his vehicle and strike the LeSabre before the subjects got away.

Scott said Blinks checked himself in to St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids where he underwent surgery on his jaw.

An investigation led police to Beal's home, where his car was identified and police learned the man is wanted in New Mexico for vehicular homicide, Scott said. Blinks later confirmed Beal's identity in a photo lineup.

Scott said Beal was charged yesterday at the Linn County Jail where he is being held without bond.