Fight Over Pool Bet Leads to Man’s Death
A Lancaster man was arrested on suspicion of murder Tuesday after a man he fought with over a $10 bet on a game of pool died after falling and hitting his head on the floor, authorities said.
Leon Welch, 29, was being held without bail Tuesday after he was involved in a fight with Ronnie Thompson, 39, a Lancaster-area transient, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Linnemeyer said. The men had fought about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday in the pool room of Young’s Cocktail Lounge in Lancaster, he said.
Witnesses said they broke up the fight. But 20 minutes later, they said, the men returned and began fighting again. According to witnesses, Welch struck Thompson, who fell to the floor, striking his head, Linnemeyer said. Thompson was taken to Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Welch fled, but was identified by witnesses, Linnemeyer said. He was arrested by deputies at 9:30 a.m. at a carwash in Lancaster.
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