A regular visitor to the Woodshed Bar in Hager City has been charged in relation to beating a senior citizen and giving him a concussion.

Travis J. Balster, 33, Red Wing, Minn., was ordered to pay $500 cash bond May 23 in Pierce County Circuit Court on felony substantial battery – intend bodily harm (elder person victim) and disorderly conduct (elder person victim) charges. If convicted, Balster faces a maximum penalty of 3.5 months in prison and/or fines up to $10,000.

According to the complaint:

At 1:11 p.m. Nov. 2, a senior citizen man called police to report an assault that allegedly took place at the Woodshed Bar a little after 10 p.m. on Halloween. The man didn’t remember much about the assault but remembered Balster punching him with a closed fist in the head while he was sitting at the bar talking to a friend.

His friend told him Balster punched him multiple times in the head; none of the other patrons intervened, according to video footage later obtained by police. The footage showed Balster standing near the victim before he began to punch him, seemingly unprovoked. The victim said he remembered talking about arm wrestling Balster’s dad, who is his friend, before the assault, but wasn’t sure if that’s what set him off. The next thing he remembered was being in his friend’s camper an hour later, where his friend brought him after he’d been hit. A visit to the Red Wing ER the next day confirmed he had a concussion.

The victim’s friend told police Balster has beat up many people at the bar and most people are afraid of him. He said nothing happened prior to Balster punching his friend. After the assault, Balster left the bar. Video footage confirmed his account.

Balster is scheduled to appear in Pierce County Circuit Court for a status conference at 2:15 p.m. July 7.