Man gets 7 years for fatal Toledo bar fight
An Erie Township, Mich., man was sentenced to seven years in prison Thursday for his role in a fatal January bar fight.
Lucas County Common Pleas Court Judge Gary Cook also ordered Carl Wimpey Jr., 37, be placed on post-release control for three years after his release.
Wimpey was found guilty in October of felonious assault in the death of Daniel Vasquez, 59, after a Jan. 31 fight at Brew Ha’s bar in North Toledo. A jury found him not guilty of murder and a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.
Vasquez’s nephew, Arthur Richter Jr., 41, was previously found guilty of starting the fight, and prosecutors said Vasquez was trying to stop the physical altercation. Judge Cook sentenced him last week to life in prison for complicity to murder and inciting violence.
The agitated Richter began spouting profanities at Wimpey and his friends. Following a verbal confrontation, Richter grabbed a pool stick and later chest-bumped Wimpey, the man testified.
Wimpey punched Mr. Vasquez approximately six times, even though Vasquez never threw a punch at him. Wimpey testified he felt Vasquez grab him from behind and believed him to be a threat. He also said he felt anyone with Richter was a threat.
Wimpey left the bar only to return when Richter threw two beer bottles at his friend’s vehicle. A left hook from Wimpey left Vasquez lying unconscious on the barroom floor.
Vasquez never regained consciousness and he was taken off life support four days later.
A Lucas County deputy coroner testified Vasquez died of complications of bluntforce trauma to the head. Dr. Maneesha Pandey said Vasquez had a stroke, along with seizures, but the head trauma started other complications.
The defense maintained Wimpey was defending himself, adding prosecutors could not prove which blow caused Vasquez’s death. A defense expert witness provided a differing opinion, saying Vasquez died from a stroke caused by an increase in blood pressure during the brawl.