photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

A worker can be seen retrieving supplies from a vehicle near the entrance to the city-sanctioned homeless campsite on Thursday, July 13, 2023.

Updated at 4:24 p.m. Monday, July 31

A resident of the city-supported campsite for the homeless in North Lawrence was arrested Sunday on suspicion of aggravated battery after he allegedly struck and seriously injured another man at the camp.

Vance Tyler Swallow, 38, a camper at the site, was booked into the Douglas County Jail Sunday night after an incident involving another man who police said was not supposed to be in the camp. Swallow was charged Monday in Douglas County District Court with one felony count of aggravated battery.

Police were called to the camp just before 8:30 p.m. on a trespass call, according to Lawrence Police Department spokesperson Laura McCabe. When they arrived, they found a man who had previously been cited for trespassing walking away from the camp’s south side “with a significant amount of blood on him,” McCabe said.

The officer on scene learned that the man was in the camp and was approached by a camper and asked to leave, McCabe said. As the trespassing man was leaving, police believe the camper hit him with a wooden object, causing a 2-inch gash in the top of his head.

In addition to arresting Swallow on suspicion of aggravated battery, police also submitted an affidavit suggesting criminal trespass charges against the injured man, who was taken to the hospital for his injuries, McCabe said.

Swallow made his first appearance in court Monday afternoon and attempted to explain the incident to Judge Mark Simpson.

“I thought I was protecting the homeless community from someone who was hurting them,” said Swallow, before Simpson cut him off from incriminating himself and entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf. Simpson then appointed attorney Dakota Loomis to represent Swallow.

The prosecution, saying it was necessary to protect the public, requested a $20,000 cash or surety bond for Swallow, arguing that the attack was violent and came with a presumptive prison sentence if Swallow were to be convicted.

Simpson ordered a $5,000 cash or surety bond for Swallow, who requested an even lower amount.

“I’m not a violent person,” Swallow said. He told the court he had never been arrested and was a Marine Corps veteran who always “tried to follow rules.”

Simpson set Swallow’s next court date for Aug. 9.