Editorial by Matt Marquardt –
A group of Mason City ladies were out celebrating their friend’s birthday Friday night and early Saturday morning at Sidewinder Bar when their fun was shattered by an act of violence.
The ladies, who wish to keep their names out of the story, say a woman approached them and attacked one of the women.
The victim, who Mason City police named as Amy Arndt, 37, was transported to Mercy Hospital via ambulance after, according to witness accounts, another woman approached Arndt, drug her to the floor by her hair, kicked her in the face, and then proceeded to smash a beer bottle into her head.
Witnesses say that Lynane Kofoot, 39, of Mason City, who says on her Facebook page that she works at the Globe Gazette, was the woman who attacked Arndt.
(PHOTO: A picture of Lynane Kofoot from her public Facebook page. A Mason City police officer is seeking Kofoot for questioning.)
Mason City police confirmed today that the investigating officer is seeking to question Kofoot in the incident. “We are looking for her, we want to get her side of the story,” said Lt. Ron Vande Weerd. “Kofoot had already left when police arrived. Witnesses pointed out and implicated Kofoot. There is no warrant issued for her at this time.”
Arndt told NorthIowaToday.com today that the attack was traumatic.
“I don’t remember anything, it’s very painful today. I have big headache,” Arndt said.
“I was just sitting there talking, had my back to her,” Arndt said. “Next thing I know, I am waking up on the floor of the bar. She had pulled me by my hair to the floor, kicked me in the head, and then threw the bottle at my head. My friends told me that when it shattered, blood was spraying out of my head. From what I heard, she took off running out of the bar, running down the street.”
Another witness told NIT today that “Lynann Kofoot busted a beer bottle over Amy Arndt’s head for no reason.”
“We don’t really know why she did it, that’s the thing,” Arndt said.
Still another witness told NIT today that “Amy Arndt was sitting at the bar talking to our friend and the bartender, and Lynanne Kofoot came up behind her and smashed a bottle over her head. We still don’t know why, they weren’t fighting.”
Luckily for Arndt, her injuries did not require stitches. “I did not need stitches. I have a huge goose egg on my head, right above my left eye,” she explained.
