44-year-old man arrested after allegedly striking contractor in the head with skateboard and attacking another with wooden stick

Eugene, OR – A 44-year-old man was arrested after a contractor was struck in the head with a skateboard and another contractor was hit with a wooden stick during a confrontation at a property in Eugene, according to police.

The incident occurred at approximately 12:36 p.m. on Thursday, October 15, when two contractors were working in the 1400 block of High Street and encountered two people who were staying on the property, the Eugene Police Department said.

The contractors asked the two individuals to leave, but the situation reportedly escalated when both became agitated and aggressive, yelling at the workers.

According to police, one of the individuals had a dog on a leash that was barking aggressively at the contractors. The dog’s owner also asked the workers if they wanted to fight.

One of the contractors, concerned that the dog might attack, went to retrieve a firearm from his truck. At that point, police said, the individual released the dog, which charged toward the other contractor.

The second contractor was holding a collapsible cane and swung it at the dog in an attempt to keep it away.

Police said the two individuals then charged at the contractor. One of them, identified as Leo Demetri Barineau, 44, struck the worker in the head with a skateboard.

The other individual allegedly struck the victim’s hand with a wooden stick.

Both individuals then left the area, according to the Eugene Police Department.

The contractor who was struck with the skateboard suffered a gash to the head and was bleeding. He also sustained several cuts to his hand after being hit with the wooden stick, police said.

The second contractor, who had gone to retrieve his handgun when the confrontation escalated, was not injured. Police emphasized that he did not point the firearm at either individual during the incident.

Officers later located Barineau on Mill Street and arrested him in connection with the assault.

He was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon before being lodged at the Lane County Jail, according to police.

The department did not identify the second individual in its account of the incident or announce an arrest involving that person.