Evansville, Ind. — A brutal assault on an Evansville street corner Saturday night has led to the arrests of two men, after a victim was left critically wounded and is now fighting for life, local authorities reported.
The incident occurred in the 100 block of East Tennessee Street around 10:30 p.m., where police were urgently called following reports of an ongoing assault. Upon arrival, officers discovered a horrifying scene: a victim on a resident’s porch, blood-soaked and barely conscious before collapsing.
Authorities urgently transported the victim to the emergency room, where they were treated for severe blunt trauma to the head and a laceration near the eyebrow. Police, utilizing surveillance videos from residential cameras and nearby gas stations, were able to piece together the events leading up to the assault.
The video footage revealed a chilling sequence where Charles Ethan Miles and Cade Christopher Kirk were seen driving around in a black Jeep, apparently in search of the victim. The attack unfolded near the intersection of Heidelbach Avenue and Tennessee Street, where both men were captured on camera brutally assaulting the victim with punches and striking them with an object, suspected to be drawn from Kirk’s waistband.
Following the assault, the footage showed the assailants fleeing the scene in their Jeep while the victim staggered towards a nearby house seeking help. Police efforts to apprehend the suspects led them to a home on Morton Avenue where, with the aid of flock cameras, they successfully detained Miles, Kirk, and a third individual, Samantha Chase, who was arrested on unrelated charges.
Further investigation into the motive behind the attack uncovered a complex web of personal relationships and alleged provocations. Authorities learned from Chase that the victim was previously involved with Miles’ now-wife. Miles himself claimed that the victim had sent inappropriate images to his wife prior to their marriage. During the arrest, police found brass knuckles on Kirk, though he denied using them during the attack.
Currently, the victim remains in a grievous state, unconscious, unresponsive, and ventilator-dependent at the hospital, with prognosis suggesting a slim chance of recovery.
Charges of attempted murder are currently pressed against Charles Ethan Miles and Cade Christopher Kirk. Samantha Brooke Chase, after dealing with her warrant issue, has been released. Police mentioned that the charges against Miles and Kirk could escalate to murder if the victim succumbs to the injuries.
This devastating incident has stirred conversations in the local community about violence, relationships, and the mechanisms of law and justice, as authorities continue to investigate and the city watches anxiously for developments.