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Man, 77, beaten in home invasion

He used ball bat to fight off stranger who forced his way into the house.

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By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer 11:05 PM Monday, October 24, 2011

SPRINGFIELD TWP. — A 77-year-old man who was trying to be a good Samaritan ended up being beaten with a baseball bat in his home.

The attack happened Friday in the 3000 block of Derr Road. The victim, who asked not to be identified by name, said he is afraid of his attacker.

“He told me if I called the police he’d come back and kill me,” the victim said. “So I still have that in my mind.”

The suspect came to the man’s back door asking for water, claiming that his car had overheated. Clark County Sheriff Gene Kelly said the request may have been a ruse to see whether the victim was alone.

After receiving the water, the suspect came in the door, pointing to something under his shirt he said was a gun. He ordered the victim to lead him to the bedroom where the victim kept his wallet, according to the sheriff’s office.

That’s also where the victim said he kept a small baseball bat for protection.

“I had that baseball bat sitting there and I grabbed a hold of it,” the victim recalled. “That’s when he fought and I fought back.”

The suspect was able to wrestle away the bat and hit the man several times in the hand, busting it open.

The assailant then took two cups full of pennies, the home’s phone, and threatened to kill the victim if he called police.

The victim said he drove to Hobby Lobby on Upper Valley Pike to seek help from a friend. Authorities were then called.

Kelly advised against residents ever letting a stranger into their home — regardless of the circumstances.

“If anyone in the Derr Road area saw a while male, 20 to 25 years old, 5-foot-9-inches ... going door-to-door soliciting, we would like to have that information,” Kelly said.

For now, the victim said he will be more leery.

“Don’t open your door to anybody unless you know who they are,” he said.

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