Kearney man accused of hitting man in head with hammer

KEARNEY, NE — A Kearney man is behind bars after police say he hit another man in the head with a hammer.

Court documents say Kearney Police responded to a report of an assault in the 1300 block of I Ave. around 5:30 Friday evening. Officers say they found 29-year-old Justin Leal bleeding from his head with a bloody hammer laying next to him. A person at the house identified 25-year-old Tristen Titus as the assailant. Officers found him six blocks away and arrested him.

Court documents say Titus admitted to hitting Leal on the right side of the forehead with the hammer. Doctors told police the impact caused bone fragmentation in Leal’s head that would require surgery.

Titus is lodged in the Buffalo County Jail on a first-degree assault charge and a weapons charge. His bond is set at $25,000 and his first court appearance is scheduled for September 8. Both charges carry a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison.