Third-degree burns, stitches for South Bend brothers-in-law fighting over frying pan

Tribune Staff Report

2:19 p.m. Saturday, July 10, 2010

Updated Friday, July 16, 2010

SOUTH BEND — A dispute over the ownership of a frying pan led to third-degree burns for one South Bend man and 11 stitches for another, police reports said.

A 49-year-old man was cooking bacon on the stove at a house in the 600 block of Lincoln Way East when his 47-year-old brother-in-law claimed the pan was his, the report said.

The argument led to the man cooking cornering the younger man into a closet and spilling hot grease on the younger man. The report said the 47-year-old then grabbed the pan from his attacker and hit him in the head twice.

The 49-year-old was taken to an area hospital were he received 11 stitches before being arrested for assault, the report said. But the man who received third-degree burns on his hands told police he did not wish to press charges.
Police did report finding two pieces of bacon in the closet.