A Rutledge man was arrested and charged with first-degree assault and another man received a 10-inch laceration across the back of his neck during an altercation at the Highlander Night Club on Highway 331 during the early-morning hours of March 25.

According to the Crenshaw County Sheriff's report, Frankie Kent Tompkins, 41, a white male, of Jackson Ave. in Rutledge, was arrested for the assault charge after witnesses stated that he cut Greg B. Gallander, 25, of Montgomery, across the back of the neck with a knife.

Gallander stated in the report that his girlfriend, Stacey Connell, also of Montgomery, had been &#8220jumped on at the door” when he went to help her. After the incident, both Gallander and Connell were transported to Crenshaw Community Hospital where Gallander was treated for a 10-inch laceration across the back of his neck that was three and one-half inches deep.

Crenshaw County Sheriff's deputies Heath Truman and Jeremy Douglas responded to the scene. Truman and Douglas proceeded to Tompkins' residence where Tompkins said that Gallander and Connell had begun the altercation.

&#8220Tompkins said that the victim was on his son, and he (Tompkins) got him off,” according to the report.

Tompkins admitted to the deputies that he cut Gallander, but that he had thrown away the knife. The knife was not recovered.

Tompkins was arrested for first-degree assault and transported to the Crenshaw County jail.

Sheriff's Investigator Robin Daniels said that Gallander does plan to prosecute.