Independence man charged with assault in alleged bar fight, hit-and-run
An Independence man has been charged in connection with an alleged hit-and-run crash outside a bar last week that left a man hospitalized, according to online court records.
John Phillip Fischbach was charged Wednesday with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in Jackson County Circuit Court.
Officers responded around 2:30 a.m. July 2 to Rhinestone Cowgirls, 11703 E 23rd Street. They found a man unconscious and bleeding from the head, according to a probable cause statement.
Witnesses told police that the man found unconscious got into a verbal argument with another man, later identified as Fischbach, and that the argument turned physical.
After the fight was broken up, Fischbach then allegedly drove a dark-colored Chevrolet Silverado into the man, striking him before allegedly fleeing east on 23rd Street.
Police identify suspect
Police reviewed surveillance footage of the incident, which allegedly corroborated witness accounts of the hit-and-run. Eventually, police were able to identify the Fischbach as a suspect through law enforcement records and identifying the truck’s license plate number, court documents said.
A bartender who had been working the night of the alleged assault said she knew Fischbach as “JP,” and that he was a regular customer at the bar.
Police brought Fischbach into custody July 8. During a search of his residence, police allegedly found clothes with blood on them that matched what a man was seen wearing in surveillance footage of the incident.
In an interview with police, Fischbach claimed no memory of the altercation. He invoked his rights when asked about the truck’s location, according to court documents.
Man hospitalized with brain bleed
The man who was struck by the pickup was still hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday, according to court documents. Police said he was still unresponsive and was on a feeding tube suffering from significant brain bleeding and liver issues.
According to the probable cause statement, Fischbach has multiple “failure to appear” warrants out of multiple jurisdictions. Police said they believe Fischbach to be a danger to the public and should be considered a flight risk.
Fischbach appeared in court for an initial hearing Thursday.
This story was originally published July 10, 2025 at 5:27 PM.
