PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man is still recovering from injuries he said he suffered during a fight with a man who police say first identified himself as God after punching the 76-year-old multiple times in April.
“It was pretty rough,” said Charles Binney, who said he wrestled with his alleged attacker in the front yard of his Sixth Street home April 15 until police arrived.
“I’m still doing therapy over this thing.”
Binney said he suffered head, back and shoulder injuries after struggling with Brian G. Gilbertson, 44, for about five minutes outside Binney’s home in the 1100 block of East Sixth Street.
Gilbertson has pleaded not guilty in Clallam County District Court to one count each of fourth-degree assault and second-degree criminal trespass, according to District Court records.
Gilbertson, who remained Tuesday in the county jail on $1,000 bail, is set to appear in court June 17 to consider a trial date.
Binney said Gilbertson had walked onto Binney’s property at about 11:45 a.m. while Binney was in his front yard and his wife was indoors and tried to open the locked front door.
When Gilbertson tried the door, police said, the two men “became physically engaged.”
Binney said Gilbertson swung at him.
Police said in the report filed in court that the two wrestled on the floor of the elevated porch and rolled off onto the ground.
“During this assault, Gilbertson punched Binney in the face and on his body more than 20 times,” Port Angeles Sgt. Jesse Winfield wrote in the report.
The two continued the fight in the front yard, with nearby witnesses coming to help and a passing letter carrier calling 9-1-1, police said.
Winfield wrote that he immediately recognized Gilbertson once Winfield arrived and said the man was rambling about God and “releasing God” from Binney.
“Gilbertson first identified himself as God to me, then identified himself as Brian Gilbertson and gave me his address,” Winfield wrote.
Binney said he was hospitalized for four hours after the attack.
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Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.
