Clear Lake man sentenced to probation as part of baseball bat attack on a Garner man

GARNER — It’s a deferred judgment and probation for a north-central Iowa man accused of being involved in a baseball bat assault of a man in Garner last spring.

21-year-old Justin Wellik of Clear Lake and 20-year-old Kendrick Dyslin of Forest City were accused of attacking a man on May 10th, with a criminal complaint stating that the men went to confront a man about a Clear Lake burglary, jumped out of a car while wearing masks and assaulted the man. The victim stated to authorities that one of the men was punching him while the other attacked him with a baseball bat.

Wellik originally had pleaded not guilty to charges of going armed with intent and willful injury causing bodily injury, both Class D felonies, but as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Wellik pleaded guilty to assault with the intent to inflict serious injury, an aggravated misdemeanor. Judge Karen Salic late last week approved a deferred judgment in the case, sentencing him to two years probation and issuing a civil penalty of $855.

Dyslin in October pleaded guilty to one count of assault while displaying a dangerous weapon and received the same sentence of two years probation and an $855 civil penalty.

If both defendants successfully complete their probation and payment obligations, the charge will be stricken from their record.