Harrisburg Finance Commissioner John McPeek was attacked in his home by a man with a club containing nails Tuesday night.
Harrisburg Police are searching for Cory S. Rousey, 20, Marion, seeking charges of home invasion and aggravated battery.
McPeek received 20 stitches for a head wound at Harrisburg Medical Center and was released.
"You can let people know I'm fine. The latest (rumor) I heard was I had been life-flighted to Barnes Hospital," McPeek said this morning.
McPeek said at about 11 p.m. he had just arrived home from work at Mackie's Pizza in Marion. He was changing clothes and watching the end of President-elect Barack Obama's speech when someone knocked on the door.
He opened the door and says he saw Rousey and another man he did not know. Rousey held a club with screws and nails around the top of it, McPeek said.
"This kid hauled off and hit me in the head with this billy club thing," McPeek said.
McPeek and the man scuffled while a second man swung what McPeek believes was a BB gun at him. McPeek said he was able to wrest the club away from Rousey and swung it until the two left and drove away.
"This all happened so fast. It happened in six or seven seconds," McPeek said.
McPeek said he has since learned Rousey and the other man had been at Mackie's in Marion asking for him and when they learned he had gone home for the night, they drove to his house in Harrisburg.
He said Rousey was a former Mackie's employee. McPeek said he fired Rousey and his brother and Rousey has verbally harassed him since whenever the two have met about town.
Harrisburg Police Officer Tom Leverett took the club as evidence. Chief Bob Smith delivered the files to the Saline County State's Attorney's office seeking a warrant this morning and said the information will be sent to the Marion Police Department.
McPeek said he will be at the Harrisburg City Council meeting this evening.
-- DeNeal receives e-mail at bdeneal@yourclearwave.com.
Harrisburg, Ill. —
