Mask dispute leads to alleged violent assault

W221S2&.(T ou can visit eo 1. Belanger -r. at home but when he says wear a masN when you come, he means it.

2ne guest found himself at andmarN 0edical &enter Sunday with a bloody face after Belanger allegedly at tacNed him for refusing to put one on, police say.

eah I hit him, Be langer allegedly blurted out when police arrived.

The victim, a year old man, told police he and two other guests were hanging out at Belanger s 0e rida Ave. apartment about p.m. Sunday when the assault tooN place. He said the host told him he had to wear a masN when he was in his home and then got angry with him when he did not comply.

After Belanger punched him in the face, the victim told police he fell to the ground and Belanger began Nneeing him in the face multiple times.

)rye s report notes Be langer not only spontaneous ly admitted striNing the vic tim, he elaborated on his reason for doing so. The offi cer said Belanger told him he instructed his guest to put a masN on while in his home and when he did not comply he assaulted the man.

)rye described the victim as bloody faced when he met him outside Belanger s apartment after the police were called.

)rye drove the victim to the hospital to get treatment for his inMuries.

Belanger was held at the police station for several hours before being released on a summons to answer the misdemeanor charge in Si th istrict &ourt.