A Knoxville man was arrested early Monday morning following a reported assault that left another man with serious injuries.
According to the Knoxville Police Department, officers were dispatched to the 400 block of North 1st Street at approximately 2:30 a.m. on January 13 after receiving a report of an assault. Upon arrival, officers made contact with a male victim who appeared to be suffering from a possible broken jaw.
The victim told law enforcement that Michael Dethrow, 29, of Knoxville, had punched him in the face earlier in the evening. A criminal complaint states that officers had observed Dethrow with two other individuals in the same area earlier that night, walking away from the victim.
When questioned by authorities, Dethrow claimed the victim had run up to him yelling and told him to punch him in the face. Dethrow admitted that he eventually struck the victim. Officers reported observing dried blood around the victim’s mouth, and the victim complained of jaw pain and memory loss.
Dethrow was taken into custody and is currently being held in the Marion County Jail on a $1,000 cash or surety bond. A no-contact order was issued on January 13. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 23.
Dethrow has been charged with assault causing bodily injury or mental illness, a serious misdemeanor.
