Two men charged after brutal beating leaves Idaho Falls bar patron severely injured

IDAHO FALLS – Two men have been charged after allegedly beating a man at an Idaho Falls bar, causing him severe injuries.

Patrick Andy Jennings, 49 of Bozeman, Montana, and Edward James Jennings, 40, of Rigby, are each charged with felony aggravated battery and misdemeanor battery.

According to court documents, Idaho Falls police officers were called to Ford’s Bar on June 6 for a report of a fight. Officers say a bartender told them the fight began when a woman bought a drink for a 28-year-old man, making her husband upset.

The woman’s husband then allegedly confronted the man and “all parties exited the bar to fight.”

This resulted in the 28-year-old man being knocked unconscious and suffering multiple severe injuries, including “a large contusion on the back of the head, fractured upper jaw, fracture near the left maxillary sinus, and several top front teeth pushed forward,” according to police reports.

Based on the open bar tabs, police identified suspects, including both Jennings men. On June 10, detectives attempted to contact the victim, but were told by family members that he required multiple surgeries and was, at the time, unable to speak due to the extent of his injuries.

The next day, detectives received surveillance footage from a business across from the bar. The video reportedly shows the victim and Edward exiting the bar, and Edward punching the victim in the face, causing them both to fall on the ground.

The two then stood up, moved to the middle of the street and continued fighting.

Two more men then exited the bar, one of them identified as Patrick, and they reportedly tried to intervene in the fight. Edward walked away from the fight briefly, but reportedly walked back, and both Edward and Patrick began beating the victim.

“After another brief disengagement, Patrick punched (the victim) in the face without provocation, causing him to fall to the ground,” says court records. “While (the victim) was on all fours, Edward returned and kicked him in the face, rendering him unconscious.”

Police say Patrick then walked away westbound on A Street, while Edward and the unknown man were joined by three women before fleeing the area. According to reports, two women exited the bar three minutes later and found the victim lying in the street.

On June 30, the victim went to the Idaho Falls Police Department to give a statement.

According to the victim, he arrived at Ford’s Bar around 10 p.m. and was approached by three men who challenged him to a fight. The victim says he agreed, and began walking toward the door when he was “grabbed from behind, pushed out the door, and struck from behind by an unknown object.”

The victim says he suffered a concussion, resulting in memory loss, but remembered brief portions of the fight, and when he woke up afterwards. After being transported to the hospital, the victim was diagnosed with a laceration on his head, concussion, missing teeth, a fractured left cheekbone, a deviated septum, and a broken jaw.

On July 8, detectives spoke to a witness, who said she saw the incident begin when a woman offered the victim a shot of alcohol. The woman’s husband reportedly became upset, leading to the fight.

The woman says she told me to take it outside, believing it would be a one-on-one fight, but she later realized that multiple men jumped in and were beating the victim. A few minutes later, she says she found the victim unconscious in the street and called 911.

Officers later obtained a video from inside the bar, reportedly showing Edward, Patrick, and two other men seated at the bar with three unidentified women. The victim then entered the bar, approached the group, and began talking with them.

Court records say one of the women handed the victim a drink, prompting Patrick to confront him, followed shortly by Edward.

“After a heated exchange, Edward and (the victim) moved toward the front door,” court records say. “Edward was seen removing his glasses and tossing them on the bar to before both men exited the bar.”

On July 17, detectives spoke to one of the men who was with Edward and Patrick at the bar that night. The man said he remembered being at the bar with his wife and a family member, Patrick, and recalled a fight breaking out.

When asked how the fight started, the man said the victim had inappropriately touched a woman at the bar, causing her husband to become upset. According to the man, he is the wife, and Patrick left shortly after the fight started.

The man also admitted to being very intoxicated at the bar and said he didn’t remember much.

On July 22, detectives spoke to Edward, who said he did not want to cooperate with law enforcement and advised police to contact his lawyer. Eventually, police were also able to contact one of the women who was at the bar with Patrick and Edward.

The woman stated that the victim had been inappropriate with another woman at the bar, and that is what caused the fight.

Warrants for the arrest of Edward and Patrick were issued on Aug. 29. Patrick was arrested on Oct. 25, and Edward was arrested and booked into the Bonneville County Jail on Oct. 29. Both were booked on a $50,000 bond. After posting bail, Patrick was released on Oct. 27, and Edward was released on Oct. 29.

Both Edward and Patrick are expected to appear for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday. If convicted, they could face up to 15 years and 6 months in prison.

Though both men have been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean they committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.