Watsonville Man Arrested After Aptos Bar Fight

APTOS - A man suspected of injuring another person with a knife during a fight outside a bar in Aptos on Sunday was arrested, a Santa Cruz County sheriff’s spokesman said Monday.

Justin Cherry, 27, of Watsonville, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and booked into Santa Cruz County Jail, sheriff’s Lt. Bob Payne said.

Deputies responded to a report of a fight outside the SeaBreeze Tavern at 101 Esplanade around 7:50 p.m., Payne said.

Cherry allegedly got into a fight with a 52-year-old Aptos man over an altercation that happened New Year’s Eve, according to Payne.

During Sunday night’s brawl, Cherry allegedly threw a knife at the victim, who was left with a cut to his leg, Payne said.

A friend took the 52-year-old to a hospital, where he was treated and released hours later, according to Payne.

Deputies spoke with witnesses and identified the suspect as Cherry, who was found outside a house on Clubhouse Drive around 10:30 p.m. and taken into custody, Payne said.

They also recovered a pocket knife with a roughly 3-inch blade, according to Payne.

-Bay City News Service, image via ShutterStock