One Arrested Following a Fight on the Links, Whitemarsh Police Say

Whitemarsh Police arrested a Lafayette Hill man following an argument that turned physical near the sixth tee.

Robert Thomas Killian, 51, of the 400 block of North Sweet Gum Lane, was arrested following an incident at the Whitemarsh Valley Country Club Aug. 20 at about 6:30 p.m. According to police, Killian said he was approaching the sixth green when the other man involved hit a ball toward him from the sixth tee box. Killian then said he went over to the tee, confronted the other man. According to Killian, the other man grabbed a club out of Killian’s bag, both started pushing and shoving, and Killian said he punched the other man with a fist.

According to police, Killian had scratches on his left bicep and a red mark on the left side of his bottom lip.

The other man in the fight said Killian left the practice range and cut in front of him on the sixth hole; he added that Killian was “more [than] 250 yards away from the tee box.” He also said that Killian was far enough away, so he decided to hit the ball with a 5 wood. The shot landed about 50 yards away from Killian — and he said he yelled “fore” as a courtesy, according to the report.

According to the complaint, the other man said Killian drove back to the tee box in his golf cart, exchanged words and when the other man began walking away, Killian hit him with the golf cart on a bridge over a creek. Killian then struck the man several times in the face with a closed fist. 

The other man was bleeding from the left side of his face underneath his eye, police said; the cut appeared deep, his face swelled up and he was complaining of teeth and jaw pain. There were no indications that the other man struck Killian with a closed fist, police said.

Charges are pending the return of written statements from the other man and his son, who was with him on the course, according to police.