Gary man charged with injuring former Andrean High School football star
Myles Mendoza was arrested Sept. 23, 2010, on a misdemeanor battery charge following a fight in July at the Portage IMAX.
PORTAGE | An 18-year-old
Gary man has been charged with misdemeanor battery in the wake of a beating this summer outside the Portage 16 IMAX theater that left a former Andrean High School football standout seriously injured.
Myles Mendoza was taken into custody Thursday on a warrant and his bond is set at $7,500 surety or $800 cash, according to Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Mark Acevedo.
The charge carries a potential penalty of up to a year behind bars.
Mendoza is accused of attacking Mike Skinner, breaking the young man's jaw in two places and leaving him with 10 stitches, two black eyes and a concussion.
Mike Skinner's mouth remains wired shut from the injuries and he has lost 27 pounds, his mother, Karen Skinner, said Friday.
"He just can't eat anything," she said.
The 18-year-old was able to attend Wabash College as planned, but he is unable to play football this season, Karen Skinner said. The school offered to redshirt Skinner for the year, allowing him to maintain his eligibility to play four years of college football once he's healed.
She said the plan is for him to begin noncontact training in the spring. In the meantime, his fraternity, Sigma Chi, has brought in a cook to help him deal with the special dietary needs from having his mouth wired shut.
Skinner told police he was at the Portage theater with his girlfriend and a group of friends July 22 when he received a text near the end of the movie that said his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend was waiting to fight him.
When Skinner and his group left the theater, he said he was approached by Mendoza. Skinner accused Mendoza of "sucker punching" him from behind.
Karen Skinner said individuals at Wabash College and back at home have done much to help the family.
"He's had so much support from so many people in the region," she said. "That has helped a lot."
Skinner was a football standout at Andrean. He was a member of The Times' all-area football first team after compiling 54 receptions for 988 yards and 10 touchdowns his senior season in 2009 for the 59ers.
Mendoza played baseball and football at Portage High School.