Crawford County investigating bar fight involving police chief

Federal, state leaders salute Joplin’s recovery

A deadly May twister may have punched a hole in Joplin and Duquesne two years ago, but the resolve to repair it will help other communities stand strong when they face similar disasters. That was the message of state and national diginitaries to a crowd of about 2,500 who observed the second anniversary of Joplin’s devastating May 22, 2011, storm during a ceremony Wednesday in Cunningham Park.

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August 25, 2012

Crawford County investigating bar fight involving police chief

From staff reports news@joplinglobe.com The Joplin Globe Sat Aug 25, 2012, 10:59 PM CDT

FRONTENAC, Kan. — A Friday night bar fight involving the city’s police chief was being investigated Saturday by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, according to a department news release.

The sheriff’s office responded just after midnight Saturday to reports of a fight between two men, Jason Hipfl and Russell Knaup, at Santino’s Sports Bar and Eatery, 212 E. McKay St. in Frontenac.

According to the release, Frontenac police Chief Randy Flora, who was off duty at the time, at some point got involved in the fight and allegedly hit Hipfl, who was taken to Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg for treatment of his injuries.

By Saturday afternoon, sheriff’s deputies had interviewed 14 people as part of their investigation into the incident, according to the release.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 620-724-8274.

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