Forks Man Charged with Assault and Theft After Bar Brawl

A Forks Township man is in prison after police say he tried to run down a man in a parking lot of a Palmer Township pub, then beat him up and stole his cell phone.

Ryan J. Holmes, 18, of 845 Schuyler Drive, is accused in the assault and theft, which occurred shortly before noon Sunday at Rip Van Winkle’s Pub, 3700 Nicholas St., according to court records.

Holmes drove into the bar’s parking lot and nearly ran over an employee who was outside on a break. Then, according to Palmer police, he got out of his car with two other men and chased the employee until they caught him and starting punching him.

One of the assailants yelled, “Give me your wallet,” at the victim, according to the arrest affidavit. The victim did not relinquish his wallet, but he did drop his cell phone, which one of the assailants picked up and walked away with, according to court papers.

Holmes was charged with robbery, reckless endangerment, theft, simple assault and criminal conspiracy and arraigned in front of District Judge Roy Manwaring in Bethlehem, who set bail at $25,000.