Brian Nowak

A Dunkirk man is in Chautauqua County Jail on an assault charge following an incident reported to police Saturday.

According to jail records, 33-year-old Brian L. Nowak was booked around 11 p.m. on a charge of second-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury. Bail was set at $20,000 on the felony.

Officers with the Dunkirk Police Department were alerted at about 2:35 p.m. Saturday of people “smashing out windows, going at each other” with an axe and bat on Central Avenue. However, before officers arrived it was learned that Nowak had left the area and that another person had gone to Brooks Memorial Hospital.

According to scanner reports, the man had been struck in the side of the head with an axe during the encounter. A witness reportedly told police that they saw a person rush inside Brooks.

The hospital also called to report that a man at the facility had a head injury.

The Dunkirk Police Department has not released any information regarding the Saturday incident. Officers with the Fredonia Police Department assisted.

In May of this year, Nowak was charged by Dunkirk police with second-degree menacing, though no details were released at the time. He pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to appear in Dunkirk City Court on Sept. 29 on the menacing charge.