Winery owner injured protecting staff
Ohio winery owner seriously injured protecting bartender; attacker arrested over liquor license dispute.
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Dave Wilson, co-owner of The Cove W Winery in Deerfield Township, Ohio, is recovering from brain swelling and a fractured jaw after a customer punched him in the face on June 12. Wilson had stepped in to protect his bartender after a group of customers tried to take alcohol from the winery onto a boat — a move that would have violated the winery's liquor license. WABI
Eric Blose, 48, of Sandyville, Ohio, was arrested on June 23 — eleven days after the assault — in Canton, Ohio. He faces a felonious assault charge, a second-degree felony that carries up to 8 years in prison and fines up to $15,000 under Ohio law. WLOX
A Single Punch That Left Wilson Unconscious
The incident happened around 8:00 PM during peak business hours at the winery, which sits along Berlin Lake. When Wilson told the group they could not take their drinks onto a boat, the confrontation escalated. Blose allegedly punched Wilson in the face. The blow knocked Wilson unconscious. He then struck the side wall of a trailer and hit his head on a concrete walkway. WEAU
Wilson was hospitalized with serious injuries. A medical update on June 16 confirmed he was improving but suffering from significant memory and speech problems caused by brain swelling. His co-owner, Cary Wecht, told reporters the winery would stay open. "We won't let the bastards get us down," Wecht said. "And we mean bastards." KWTX
Ohio Liquor Law Was at the Heart of the Fight
Wilson was not being difficult — he was following the law. Under Ohio Revised Code 4301, wineries with on-premises consumption permits cannot allow customers to carry open alcohol off the property. Taking drinks onto a boat counts as an open container violation. A single incident can trigger the immediate suspension of a winery's liquor license. Valley News Live
The Cove W Winery opened in 2022. Small business owners in lake resort areas like Berlin Lake often face this kind of pushback from tourists who do not know the rules. Enforcing those rules can put owners and staff in a dangerous position — exactly what happened to Wilson and his bartender. WBBJ TV
U.S. Marshals Joined the Hunt for Blose
The Portage County Sheriff's Office did not work alone. The U.S. Marshals Service joined the investigation, conducting surveillance at multiple locations before locating Blose in Canton, Ohio. He was arrested without incident on June 23 and booked into the Portage County Jail at 1:15 PM. He was scheduled for arraignment in Ravenna Municipal Court. KKTV
The involvement of federal marshals in a local felony assault case suggests Blose was considered a priority target or was actively evading arrest in the eleven days since the warrant was issued. The winery had also posted a public appeal on Facebook on June 14, asking patrons for any photos or videos of the attack. WAFB
Community Rallies as Wilson Faces Long Recovery
Wecht described the community response as "beautiful and overwhelming." The winery has remained open through the peak summer season, though the loss of Wilson — its principal winemaker — could hurt production. Long-term rehabilitation for memory and speech issues is expected to be costly and time-consuming. Western Mass News
Wilson still has a road ahead of him. Brain swelling takes time to heal, and experts say memory and speech recovery can stretch over months or longer. Meanwhile, Blose remains in custody. If convicted of the second-degree felony, he faces between 2 and 8 years behind bars. WCAX
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