McHenry man loses pieces of ear in fight

What started as a dispute over martial arts training ended with a Mike Tyson-style brawl early Saturday that left a McHenry man missing two chunks of earlobe and his rival behind bars charged with biting them off.

James A. Edwards, 34, of Johnsburg, faces charges of aggravated battery and battery stemming from the incident in which police say he bit off two 2- to 3-centimeter chunks of ear while fighting outside a McHenry house party.

McHenry Deputy Police Chief John Jones said officers recovered the missing pieces of the victim's ear, but they were too small to be reattached.

The fight occurred, Jones said, after Edwards began insulting the victim inside the party hosted by a mutual acquaintance in the 3300 block of Almond Lane.

"Mr. Edwards was insulting (the victim's) martial arts training and abilities," Jones said. "The victim felt he was doing this to provoke a fight, so he tried to leave."

The victim made it as far as the home's driveway, police said, when Edwards attacked and began punching the McHenry man. During the ensuing struggle, Jones said, Edwards got his mouth close enough to the victim's ear to bite it.

Alcohol was involved, Jones said.

After the fight ended, the victim went to his nearby home and called police about 3:05 a.m. Saturday.

Edwards was arrested at the party and taken to the McHenry County jail. After appearing in court later Saturday, he posted a $1,000 bond and is free pending a July 20 court date.

If convicted of the felony aggravated battery charge, Edwards could face a maximum two to five years in prison.