Four men were arrested early Sunday morning on multiple charges, including criminal use of a weapon aggravated, battery for hitting a police officer with a car, possession of a controlled substance and defacing a firearm.

Police were dispatched to the 1300 block of Ohio Street about 2 a.m. for a fight, said Lawrence Police Sgt. Susan Hadl. Witnesses reported one person was possibly armed with a handgun.

When police attempted to make contact with the men involved in the fight, four males tried to flee the scene in a white SUV. The SUV struck a police officer trying to detain them, but the officer was not injured. The car was stopped at 14th and Ohio streets.

A weapon was found in proximity near one of the passengers, a 22-year-old Lawrence man, who a witness identified as the man waving a gun around during the fight. He was charged with criminal use of a weapon, defacing a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.

The driver of the vehicle, a 21-year-old Lawrence man, was charged with aggravated battery for hitting the police officer and also for possession of a controlled substance. A third person in the vehicle, a 22-year-old Lawrence man, was also charged with possession of a controlled substance. Hadl said the fourth occupant of the vehicle was not arrested but may yet be charged.

Police at the scene also detained another 23-year-old Lawrence man who they say punched an officer when were first investigating of the fight. He has been charge with battery.

Police believe the two incidents are related.

None of the men arrested were KU students.