On Sunday, July 20th, 2014 at approximately 12:49 A.M., Redding Police Officers received a call for service regarding two people who had possibly been struck by a vehicle. All Redding Police Department resources were committed to a critical incident investigation (see press release 14-51631), which resulted in officers from the California Highway Patrol initially responding to the call for service.
Redding Police Officers responded to the call at approximately 1:18 A.M.. Officers learned two male subjects were located injured in the roadway at the intersection of Elmwood and Veda Streets. Both subjects were transported via ambulance to Mercy Medical Center for treatment of head injuries. The two males were subsequently identified as John Raymond Fritz, 29 years of Redding, and Claude Alexander Schmies, 48 years of Redding. Fritz is currently on state parole. Schmies is currently under AB109 supervision.
Initial investigation revealed Fritz and Schmies became involved in a verbal argument after the vehicle they were traveling in drove in close proximity to two male subjects who were walking on Veda Street. The two males on Veda Street were identified as Richard James Hiers, 22 years of Redding, and Nathan Robert Byers, 19 years of Redding. Hiers is currently on Shasta County probation.
Words were exchanged between the two groups, the vehicle Schmies and Fritz were traveling in stopped, then aggressively backed up the street towards Hiers and Byers, approaching them for a second time. Hiers said Schmies was the driver of the vehicle.
Fritz and Schmies exited the vehicle while Hiers and Byers approached to confront them. A physical altercation ensued with all four subjects fighting in the street. During the fight, Schmies obtained at least one large metal flashlight from the vehicle he was operating. Hiers said Schmies struck him in the head with a large metal object, possibly the flashlight, but could not confirm what exactly it was that struck him. He sustained a laceration to the left side of his head from the attack. Hiers and Byers fought with Fritz and Schmies in the middle of the street for approximately four minutes.
Ultimately both Fritz and Schmies were rendered unconscious during the fight. Byers and Hiers ran to a nearby residence and asked a friend to call 911.
Hiers and Byers were interviewed by Redding Police Investigators and released. Both men cooperated with the investigation. Investigators also reviewed surveillance video of the incident. None of the subjects involved were ever struck by a vehicle.
At the conclusion of the investigation, the case will be forwarded to the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office for review.
Schmies is currently in critical condition at Mercy Medical Center with a head injury. Fritz is currently in stable condition at Mercy Medical Center, also being treated for a head injury.
Alcohol was a factor in the incident.
– Press Release
