Man Beats Another with Bat After Girlfriend Takes Belongings

A Salem man has been charged with seven felony counts after allegedly beating another man in the head with a metal baseball bat when the Salem man's girlfriend came to his house to retrieve her belongings.

Robert Scott Jr., 52, was charged with four counts of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, a first-degree assault with a deadly weapon count, a criminal threatening count and a criminal mischief count in connection to the incident, which police said occurred at about 4:45 p.m. Monday on Millville Circle.

Deputy Police Chief Shawn Patten said the assault occurred after the girlfriend and a couple of her friends came to Scott's Millville Circle home. Scott allegedly confronted his girlfriend with the bat, causing the girlfriend to "flee to her friend's vehicle," said Patten.

Patten said Scott allegedly used the bat to smash out the windows of that vehicle before using the bat to strike the head of the man in the driver's seat at least once.

The victim, a 47-year-old man who had a laceration on his head, and witnesses fled the area after the assault. Patten said police who responded to the call found the victim and the witnesses down the street in addition to "quickly" finding the suspect and the metal bat in the suspect's vehicle.

Scott was held on $5,000 cash bail pending an arraignment in Salem District Court.