St. Charles man charged in knife fight

A St. Charles man was in jail Friday on charges he pulled a knife on a man and repeatedly punched him in the head.

Mario C. Hightower, 29, of the 1800 block of Walnut Street, was arrested after the altercation about 6 a.m. Thursday in an apartment building on the 1500 block of Indiana Street.

Police said Hightower and another 29-year-old St. Charles man were drinking alcohol in an apartment with one of Hightower's relatives when an argument broke out and the victim left.

Hightower then followed the man to a landing and punched him in the head several times before trying to stab him with a fixed-blade knife, which ended up cutting Hightower in the ensuing struggle.

Police said the victim received cuts on his lip and above his right eye, while Hightower received stitches for a "deep" stab wound on his right hand.

Hightower was charged with battery, unlawful use of a weapon, violation of bail bond and two counts of aggravated battery. St. Charles police spokesman Paul McCurtain said he has been arrested 11 times previously for offenses including burglary and assault, and was out on bond in an obstructing justice case at the time of Thursday's altercation.

There was no attorney listed for Hightower in court records, and bond information wasn't immediately available Friday. His next court date is Nov. 25.