VERNAL, Utah (ABC4) – A bouncer at a Quality Inn Hotel bar in Vernal was arrested for allegedly breaking the neck of an intoxicated guest on Monday.
Caleb Christian Lee Pemberton, 26, was charged with aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury after attempting to kick out an intoxicated guest who was trying to fight other customers at the bar, arrest records state.
Early Monday morning, Pemberton told police he told the man to leave the bar, but he refused. Pemberton said he pushed the victim out of the bar and outside and they both pushed each other throughout the altercation.
When police looked at video footage of the incident, they saw the two men punching each other in the doorway of the bar. Pemberton continued to punch the man once the two got outside of the bar.
Pemberton then shoved the victim when he had his back turned and he fell to the floor, landing on his face and stomach right above a small flight of stairs, police said.
Pemberton then grabbed the man by his hair and dragged him to another flight of stairs, about 10 feet away where they both fell. The victim hit his neck on the stairs. Pemberton then picked the victim up after a few attempts and carried him outside of the hotel.
After the incident, the victim told police that he told Pemberton he thought he broke his neck and “not to pick him up.”
It was later determined at a hospital that the victim’s neck was broken.
When asked what the policy was for the bouncer’s use of force, the manager stated “they were only allowed to detain” and contact the police.
Pemberton was booked into Uintah County Jail.
