FARGO - Fargo police said Friday the man critically hurt in a severe bar beating over the weekend has died of his injuries. Fargo police Lt. Joel Vettel said Joey Allan Garslaand, 35, died at Sanford Medical Center early this morning. Garslaand, a father of five, suffered a severe head injury sustained from a fight outside Rick’s Bar Sunday. Three men have been charged and a fourth arrested in connection with the attack. Vettel said police are working with the Cass County State’s Attorney’s office to develop their investigative and prosecutorial strategy in the case. Previously: Two more arrested in connection with alleged bar assault 'It's senseless' Joey Gaarsland, 35, worked the past month as a painter for Morris Painting. His wife, Laura Gaarsland, called the Fargo business Monday and said her husband would not be coming in, a Morris Painting employee said.
Laura Gaarsland has not been to work since the incident either, said Rene Onsum, a relative who set up an online GoFundMe fundraiser to help the family. "They have five children and no income right now," Onsum said Thursday. The incident has been devastating for the family, which reacted "horribly" to the news. "It's affected them all quite harshly," Onsum said. "It's senseless." Previously: Two face felonies in Fargo bar fight that left man with brain damage The five Gaarsland children - youngest aged one and a half - joined their parents at the hospital, Onsum said. The Gaarslands, married in 2009, went to Rick's Bar on Saturday on a date, said Onsum, who is the mother-in-law of Joey Gaarsland's cousin. "They were just going out for a night out, and the next thing I know, I'm receiving a message from my daughter-in-law saying that they had been jumped," she recalled. "Shock" was Onsum's reaction. "Just shock." "It's a sad story," she continued. "Anyway you look at it, it's a sad story." Four under arrest Prosecutors on Thursday charged a third person, 33-year-old Jason Oien, for allegedly attacking Joey Gaarsland, his wife and a bystander outside of Rick's Bar early Sunday morning. Oien joined Scott Moen and Jessy Olson in facing three counts of felony conspiracy to commit aggravated assault. All three remained in Cass County Jail on Thursday night. Police have arrested a fourth man, Nicholas Morris, in connection with the case. Prosecutors have not filed formal charges against him. Roger Morris, owner of Morris Painting, says Nicholas Morris is not related to him. Police say that the assault outside Rick's Bar followed an altercation inside the establishment at 2721 Main Ave. All those involved in the confrontation were acquaintances, according to police. The fight inside the bar was between Laura Gaarsland, Moen, and a friend of Moen's named Crystal Camp, police say. The bar's owner declined to comment because police are still investigating. Later, outside the bar, witnesses watched three men in their thirties-Moen, Olson and Oien-"repeatedly punch and kick Joey Gaarsland while he was obviously unconscious," according to a police report filed with the charges. Bystander Matthew Breitbach pulled a man of off Gaarsland, then was hit in the back of the head and knocked unconscious, the report states. An ambulance later took the Gaarslands to the hospital for treatment. Police arrested 35-year-old Moen later on Sunday. He acknowledged that he was involved in a fight and said he wanted to protect Crystal, the police report states. Police arrested 34-year-old Olson on Monday, 33-year-old Morris on Wednesday and Oien on Thursday. Morris' name does not appear in the police report filed with the charges against Moen, Olson and Oien. How to help To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/uv4rg8FARGO - Fargo police said Friday the man critically hurt in a severe bar beating over the weekend has died of his injuries. Fargo police Lt. Joel Vettel said Joey Allan Garslaand, 35, died at Sanford Medical Center early this morning.Garslaand, a father of five, suffered a severe head injury sustained from a fight outside Rick’s Bar Sunday. Three men have been charged and a fourth arrested in connection with the attack.Vettel said police are working with the Cass County State’s Attorney’s office to develop their investigative and prosecutorial strategy in the case. Previously: Two more arrested in connection with alleged bar assault'It's senseless'Joey Gaarsland, 35, worked the past month as a painter for Morris Painting.His wife, Laura Gaarsland, called the Fargo business Monday and said her husband would not be coming in, a Morris Painting employee said.
Laura Gaarsland has not been to work since the incident either, said Rene Onsum, a relative who set up an online GoFundMe fundraiser to help the family."They have five children and no income right now," Onsum said Thursday.The incident has been devastating for the family, which reacted "horribly" to the news."It's affected them all quite harshly," Onsum said. "It's senseless."Previously: Two face felonies in Fargo bar fight that left man with brain damageThe five Gaarsland children - youngest aged one and a half - joined their parents at the hospital, Onsum said.The Gaarslands, married in 2009, went to Rick's Bar on Saturday on a date, said Onsum, who is the mother-in-law of Joey Gaarsland's cousin."They were just going out for a night out, and the next thing I know, I'm receiving a message from my daughter-in-law saying that they had been jumped," she recalled."Shock" was Onsum's reaction. "Just shock.""It's a sad story," she continued. "Anyway you look at it, it's a sad story."Four under arrestProsecutors on Thursday charged a third person, 33-year-old Jason Oien, for allegedly attacking Joey Gaarsland, his wife and a bystander outside of Rick's Bar early Sunday morning.Oien joined Scott Moen and Jessy Olson in facing three counts of felony conspiracy to commit aggravated assault. All three remained in Cass County Jail on Thursday night.Police have arrested a fourth man, Nicholas Morris, in connection with the case. Prosecutors have not filed formal charges against him. Roger Morris, owner of Morris Painting, says Nicholas Morris is not related to him.Police say that the assault outside Rick's Bar followed an altercation inside the establishment at 2721 Main Ave.All those involved in the confrontation were acquaintances, according to police.The fight inside the bar was between Laura Gaarsland, Moen, and a friend of Moen's named Crystal Camp, police say. The bar's owner declined to comment because police are still investigating.Later, outside the bar, witnesses watched three men in their thirties-Moen, Olson and Oien-"repeatedly punch and kick Joey Gaarsland while he was obviously unconscious," according to a police report filed with the charges.Bystander Matthew Breitbach pulled a man of off Gaarsland, then was hit in the back of the head and knocked unconscious, the report states. An ambulance later took the Gaarslands to the hospital for treatment.Police arrested 35-year-old Moen later on Sunday. He acknowledged that he was involved in a fight and said he wanted to protect Crystal, the police report states.Police arrested 34-year-old Olson on Monday, 33-year-old Morris on Wednesday and Oien on Thursday. Morris' name does not appear in the police report filed with the charges against Moen, Olson and Oien.How to helpTo donate, visit www.gofundme.com/uv4rg8
