Willows man beaten with baseball bat

A Willows man was beaten Sunday by at least four suspects reportedly using a baseball bat, Willows police said.

Donald Hagerty was found bleeding from his head around 5:30 p.m. at an apartment complex in the 300 block of North Merrill Avenue, Chief Bill Spears said.

Witnesses told police Hagerty was attacked by four males and was struck with the bat as he fell to the ground and tried to scramble away. A family member took Hagerty to the hospital, where he was treated and released after receiving stitches, Spears said.

The attackers fled the scene and remain at large, police said.

Hagerty was the subject of a stabbing investigation in July. A 17-year-old Willows boy was stabbed after he confronted a group of four to five men.

The victim was Isai Garcia, police reported.

The description of the suspects’ vehicle matched Hagerty’s older model Crown Victoria and he was arrested a few hours later, jailed on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem and battery.

However, police said they needed to “clarify” Hagerty’s reported involvement, and dropped their complaint against him the next day.

Police have not determined if the attacks are related, Spears said.