Man stabbed in face at downtown Athens bar

Athens-Clarke County Police report the arrest of a Gwinnett County man accused of stabbing a worker in a bar in downtown Athens. Jewell Clay is 29 years old, from Lawrenceville. The alleged assault is said to have happened last weekend. The man who was stabbed was taken to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center.

From WSB TV...

Athens Clarke-County Police say a man stabbed one bar employee in the face and another in the arm as they attempted to remove him from a club.

The incident happened on July 24 at Toppers in downtown Athens.

Police said they were called to a fight at the club and found employees holding a man down. He was later identified as Jewell Clay, 29, of Lawrenceville. The employees told police that Clay had a knife, but that bystanders took it away from him.

Police said two employees, Donavan Garner, 19, and Michael Palla, 30, were in the process of removing the man when, Palla said, it looked like Clay hit Garner in the face and he started bleeding.

Palla said he then realized Clay had a knife in his hand. Palla said he wrestled Clay to the ground but Clay stabbed him in the arm before he was able to get the knife away from him.

When police tried to put Clay in a police car, he broke free and ran away from officers. They were able to catch him and take him to jail.

Clay has been charged with two counts of felony aggravated assault and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.

Garner was taken to the hospital to be treated for his injuries. His condition has not been released.

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