Victims report being hit by bat-wielding attackers

Two Lawrence men said they were struck with baseball bats Monday night in a fight about a woman.

The men, a 20-year-old North Lawrence resident and a 23-year-old resident of the Salvation Army Shelter, 946 N.H., told police three men they didn’t know attacked them about 11 p.m. in the 900 block of Walnut Street. The suspects also produced a handgun but didn’t fire it, the victims told police.

One man was struck in the legs; the other suffered a laceration on his eye.

The victims told police the fight stemmed from “contact with a female,” said Sgt. Mike Pattrick, a police spokesman.

Pattrick said the suspects also broke out all of the windows and the windshield of one victim’s car. Police are trying to identify the suspects.

Government

State raises $1.6 million from selling vehicles

Topeka — Nearly 700 state vehicles have been sold for $1.6 million as part of an overhaul of state vehicle usage, officials said.

“These savings can now be used for other vital services and programs that Kansans care about,” Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday.

In November, Sebelius announced she was eliminating the Central Motor Pool, declaring a moratorium on new vehicle purchases and selling vehicles deemed underutilized. Sebelius said the state would net $8.6 million from the sales and savings.

The administration sold 147 vehicles to nonprofits, local units of government and the public.

Then it commissioned two auctions for dealers, selling 287 vehicles at the first and 235 at the second, completed last week.

Police

Haskell knife incident results in arrest

Lawrence Police arrested a 33-year-old man early Tuesday morning on suspicion of threatening a Haskell Indian Nations University employee with a knife.

Police say the man, a resident of the Salvation Army Shelter, 946 N.H., refused to leave Winona Hall dormitory. When confronted by Haskell staff members shortly before 2 a.m., he pulled a knife on a 38-year-old female employee, said Sgt. Mike Pattrick, a police spokesman.

Police recovered a knife and arrested the man on suspicion of aggravated assault and criminal trespassing.

Gasoline prices

Pump Patrol seeks deals

The Journal-World has found a Lawrence-area gasoline price as low as $1.59 at Site Service Station, 946 E. 23rd St. If you find a lower price, report it to Pump Patrol at 832-7154.