Falls Man Attacks Stepson With Umbrella Base

A 65-year-old Menomonee Falls man is facing charges after he allegedly hit his stepson in the head several times with a heavy outdoor umbrella base in an effort to knock him out when the two got into an altercation.

Gary L. Thompson was charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court Monday with one count of substantial battery domestic abuse and one count of disorderly conduct domestic abuse. If convicted, he faces up to three years and nine months in prison and $11,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

The victim went over to Thompson’s residence in the W18700 block of Good Hope Road to set up a Netflix box when he got into a verbal argument with Thompson because Thompson thought the man had said something disrespectful to his mother.

The two exchanged words and the victim then walked over to Thompson. He told police he expected a minor altercation or a fist fight, but Thompson grabbed a heavy umbrella base used for a patio set and hit the man on top of the head. The victim fell down and Thompson then hit him two more times in the head with the base, then boot kicked him three times in the testicles and hit him in the back with patio furniture.

The victim said he tried to hit Thompson back, but was unsuccessful and crawled into the fetal position during the fight. He said he felt like he would die if he got hit in the head once more by the base, but didn’t think his stepfather was trying to kill him.

The victim was eventually able to leave and while walking out, Thompson said “how did it feel to get your (expletive) kicked by a senior citizen?”

The victim suffered abrasions on his knees, a welt on his shoulder and had a considerable amount of dried blood on his face from injuries and needed staples to close the wound on his head.

Thompson told police he had two drink earlier in the evening after going to dinner and was sitting on the patio with the victim when they began to exchange words. The victim tried leaving several times, but came back to the residence after he and Thompson continued to exchange words. He said he told the victim to throw the first punch and he tried to, but was able to block them, so the victim tried walking to his car again.

More words were exchanged and the victim came back, so Thompson said he didn’t want to give him anymore free shots and decided to hit him on the head with the umbrella base, saying he didn’t want to kill him, but “knock him out.”

After the fight, Thompson said he went to a tavern where he had several more drinks.

He’s currently free on a $2,500 signature bond while awaiting trial.