Yarmouthport Men Arrested in Alleged Hatchet, Knife Assault

Barnstable Police arrested two Yarmouthport men after an alleged hatchet assault at Bobby Byrnes in Hyannis. 

According to police, the men entered Bobby Byrnes and began an altercation after a man refused to sell them narcotics just after midnight this morning. After the victim declined to sell the pair the drugs he complained to management about the two men harassing him, which lead to the men assaulting him.

The men,  Brian Bitting, 32, and Herbert Erbe, 55, both of Yarmouthport were arrested.

According to witnesses, Erbe produced a folding knife from his pocket and Bitting pulled a wooden handled hatchet from his waistband, police said in the report.

Both men then proceeded to attack the victim, who was able to use a chair to keep his attackers away. With the help of bystanders, the men were detained until the arrival of the police.

Bitting and Erbe were both taken into custody and transported to the Barnstable Police Headquarters where they were booked on the following charges:

Brian Bitting: Disorderly conduct, assault by means of a dangerous weapon (hatchet) and placed him in protective custody.

Herbert Erbe: Disorderly conduct, assault by means of a dangerous weapon (knife) and placed him in protective custody