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Singer Axl Rose Accused of Assault : Dispute: A neighbor alleges the Guns N’ Roses rock star hit her with a wine bottle after an argument. He says she is the one who has caused problems.

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Heavy metal rocker W. Axl Rose was arrested early Tuesday for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly clubbing his next-door neighbor on the head with an empty wine bottle, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said.

Gabriella Kantor, 37, was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after complaining of a possible concussion. A hospital spokeswoman would not comment on the extent of any injuries Kantor suffered, saying only that the woman was examined and released in good condition about two hours later.

Rose, 28, was released from custody after posting $5,000 bail.

According to sheriff’s investigators, the lead singer of the band Guns N’ Roses was arguing with Kantor in the 12th-story hallway of their condominiums when Rose took Kantor’s car keys and threw them out his sliding glass door to the ground below. He then allegedly took a bottle of wine from Kantor, poured out the contents and struck her on the head.

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The argument began over loud music Rose allegedly had been playing in his apartment, sheriff’s spokesman Bill Linnemeyer said.

Kantor did not return telephone calls from a reporter.

Rose gave a different version of the argument. He said the complaint by Kantor is one of a longstanding series of run-ins between the two, which began shortly after the rock singer moved into the high-rise, luxury condominium in West Hollywood.

Rose alleged that Kantor, whom he described as a Guns N’ Roses fan, has caused several late-night disturbances since January, 1989, when he bought a unit in the building just north of the Sunset Strip.

Interviewed Tuesday afternoon in the living room of his condominium, Rose said that he has repeatedly complained to the building’s homeowners association about what he described as Kantor’s own loud music-playing. Rose also claimed she behaves like an overzealous fan.

“It’s really weird, she cranks my music all the time,” Rose said.

He said that about 1 a.m. Tuesday he and a group of friends were gathered in his condominium “being really quiet” when he heard Kantor yelling.

Rose said he went into the hallway and said to Kantor, “Shut up.”

He said she retaliated by swinging a wine bottle at him. When Rose took the bottle away from Kantor, Rose said, she flung her keys into his apartment. Rose said he went inside, closed his door and threw the keys over the balcony.

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“She was pounding on the door, trying to get in. . . . If she has any bruises, it was because she was throwing herself against the door. She was doing it to herself,” he said.

During the 20 minutes that Kantor allegedly pounded on his door, Rose said, he instructed the building’s night manager to call the Sheriff’s Department.

“The (deputies) didn’t come until later--after Gabby (Kantor) called them,” Rose said.

Rose said he has often been blamed by residents for loud music that does not come from his condo.

On Aug. 1, sheriff’s deputies went to Rose’s home after receiving complaints about loud music, Deputy Linnemeyer said. Immediately after the incident, Rose filed a complaint with the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station, stating that he was being targeted for harassment by deputies.

Arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 29 at Beverly Hills Municipal Court, Linnemeyer said.

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