Charges dropped for men accused of assaulting Mike Wallace, family

Mike Wallace

The criminal cases against three men charged in a June 17 fight with former NASCAR driver Mike Wallace have been dropped. The fight, which occurred following a Rascal Flatts concert, resulted in four misdemeanor assault charges against Paul Lucas and two misdemeanor assault charges against Lucas' brother, Nathan, and Randolph Mangum.

The 57-year-old Wallace said during a trial in October he still had black floaters in his right eye from getting hit in the face as well as a broken tooth that he needed to have replaced and lacerations in his mouth.

His daughter, Lindsey Van Wingerden, suffered a broken wrist and black eye. The trial abruptly ended in a mistrial when prosecutors realized potential witnesses had sat in the courtroom during some of the testimony.

The defense never got to present its side of what occurred, and a new trial was never rescheduled in North Carolina District Court. The district attorney's office dismissed the charges Friday, according to court documents.

Wallace faced the prospect of reliving the fight at least three additional times. Misdemeanor cases in North Carolina are heard in front of a judge in district court, with appeals automatically going to a jury trial in superior court. Then there could be civil litigation. An attorney for Wallace declined comment and said neither he nor Wallace could comment on why the charges were dropped or the status of any civil claims. ESPN