A dispute outside a Peachtree

City bar escalated into a violent incident early Saturday morning that

could lead to hate crime charges, according to police. The brawl, involving

at least one gunshot that struck no one, happened within shouting distance

of the city's busiest intersection at Ga. highways 54 and 74.

One man was left bloodied in

the face as several others taunted him with racial slurs in a dispute

outside Martini's bar in Westpark Walk, reports stated. The victim

also brandished a handgun and fired one shot, hitting no one, police said.

Herbert Yarde, 27, of 2907

Lander Ct., Hephzibah, Ga. was arrested for one felony count of aggravated

assault and misdemeanor reckless conduct for shooting the .380 semi-automatic

handgun, police said. Three other men were arrested for striking Yarde,

causing cuts on his face and a bloody nose, while two other men were arrested

for disorderly conduct in connection with the incident.

Although multiple charges have

been filed in the case, they could later be upgraded to hate crime status

for some suspects, said Peachtree City Police Chief James Murray. Detectives

have been working with prosecutors from the District Attorney's and

State Court Solicitor's offices to make that determination, Murray

said.

One hurdle in making the hate

crime charges is the variety of stories officers were given for the dispute,

Murray said. Monday afternoon, it was still unclear how the altercation

began, he added.

According to warrants, several

of the suspects used racial slurs during the incident.

Arrested were:

Ryan Foles, 25, of 5985 Coatsworth

Dr., Rex for misdemeanor counts of battery, obstruction of a police officer

and disorderly conduct.

Eric Collins, 24, of 100 Knight

Way, Fayetteville for misdemeanor battery.

Macon Mercure, 24, of 606 Hood

Ave., Fayetteville for misdemeanor battery.

Nicholas Speed, 24, of 1314

Tenny-Nelson Rd., Grantville for disorderly conduct.

Robert Davis, 25, of 1353 S.

Thompson Rd., Pine Mountain for disorderly conduct.

A Fayetteville man, Garrett

Taylor, 23, was charged with interfering with police officers and released

on a citation, police said.

The scene of the fracas was

Martini's, a bar owned by James Adduci, who was an unsuccessful candidate

for Post 1, Peachtree City Council, in November. He finished third in

the three-way race.

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