La Crosse man arrested on warrant after putting someone in hospital

LA CROSSE (WKBT) — A La Crosse man was arrested Wednesday morning on a warrant issued this spring after he was accused of putting someone in the hospital.

Cory W. Tharpe, 42, no permanent address, was charged April 8 in La Crosse County Circuit Court with substantial battery, disorderly conduct and felony bail jumping in connection with a March 12 incident that left another man with a broken arm, a cracked skull, bleeding in his brain and a laceration on his face, according to the criminal complaint.

The La Crosse Police Department responded to a call at 7:36 p.m. reporting that a man was lying in the road in the 1600 block of Caledonia Street and another man was kicking him. Police arrived and found two men near the victim.

Tharpe initially gave police a false name and address, according to the complaint, and said he was walking when he heard a man yelling for help in the alley. Tharpe told police he went to help and the man grabbed his leg, so he kicked him to make him let go.

Police found the victim with a cut above his left eye, which was swollen shut and bleeding. The victim told police someone matching Tharpe’s description had jumped him, but he was unable to remember what happened. Later, while at the hospital, he told police he was unable to answer questions because he was in a lot of pain.

Tharpe is scheduled to make an initial appearance at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. He was jailed on a cash bond as of Wednesday morning.