Man beaten in unprovoked attack

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man was beaten into unconsciousness in an early morning attack that witnesses said was unprovoked by the victim.

Philip James Binger is charged with aggravated battery and driving under the influence. Binger, a 27-year-old from Spokane, made an initial court appearance on Monday via video feed from the Bonner County Jail.

Binger’s bail was set at $10,000 and he is forbidden from contacting the victim while the case is pending, court records show.

The beating took place at South First Avenue and East Superior Street shortly before 2:30 a.m. on Saturday.

A friend of Binger’s told Sandpoint Police they were leaving a downtown bar when Binger thought he heard somebody calling him names. Binger stopped the Jeep he was driving and confronted the alleged victim, who was walking along the road.

Two teenage girls who happened to be approaching the intersection told police that Binger ran up to the victim and sucker punched him in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground. Binger then delivered punches and kicks to the victim, who curled into a fetal position before losing consciousness, according to the police report.

Binger’s companion intervened and pushed him off the victim, the police report said.

While being treated at Bonner General Hospital, the victim, also 27, told police that he said nothing to Binger and tried to avoid him. The two teen witnesses corroborated the victim’s account.

The police report suggests Binger was actually being taunted by a group of drunken revelers at Condo del Sol.

The victim said the group targeted him with insults as he walked to the neighboring convenience store. An officer also noted in his report that Sandpoint Police had earlier provided backup to a sheriff’s deputy who was conducting a traffic stop because the intoxicated crowd in an upstairs condominium was yelling at law enforcement.

A preliminary hearing on the felony battery charge is pending.