UPDATE: Roseville man admits kicking unconscious man after attack, racial slurs at Maplewood bar

Just after three African-Americans entered a Rice Street bar in Maplewood, a few patrons made racial slurs and then assaulted two of the three, according to criminal charges filed Friday. One man was kicked in the head as he lay unconscious on the ground.

One of the three, a 39-year-old woman, told police that shortly after they arrived at McCarron’s Pub & Grill around midnight Thursday, patrons said “people had to leave because blacks had come into the bar,” according to the criminal complaint.

A white woman had “gone after” the 39-year-old, and a white man punched her in the face and kicked her, a witness reported.

Police found a bloodied 42-year-old man holding his head in the parking lot at 1986 Rice St. Paramedics took him to a hospital.

A bystander reported she met the assailant about 15 minutes earlier and he had introduced himself as “Greg Votel,” according to the complaint against Gregory Michael Votel Jr., 30. She said the group that included Votel “was aggressive and made racial comments” toward those assaulted, the complaint continued.

An altercation started, and the 42-year-old man went outside; Votel followed. The woman said Votel punched the man, “knocking him out cold.” Votel got into a vehicle but then got out and kicked the man in the head as he lay unconscious, the complaint continued.

Votel’s mother told police that Votel and his girlfriend “had simply been defending themselves,” according to the complaint. “But she confirmed that (Votel) had kicked a downed person in his head.”

Police arrested Votel at a gas station near his Roseville apartment. He declined to talk to an investigator.

The Ramsey County attorney’s office charged Votel with third-degree assault and two counts of fifth-degree assault. He is also charged with violating a no-contact order involving his girlfriend.

George Sonnen, the bar’s owner, said Friday evening that he was not there when the assaults happened and “we’re still gathering our information.” But he said he does not condone violence or “any form of racism” at his pub.