Security guard assaulted with hammer in North Austin

AUSTIN, Texas - A man was hit in the head with a hammer while working security at a North Austin coffee shop.  

On January 28, police responded to the Lava Java located at 12191 Jollyville Road after being flagged down for reports of a man who had been assaulted with a hammer.

When police arrived on the scene, they found the victim with a 2-inch gash over his left eye and immediately started rendering aide to the man. 

The officers were given information that the suspect was 35-year-old Matthew Evan Crohn. Police had also recognized Crohn after reviewing security footage, recognizing him from previous run-ins with police. 

According to court documents, the victim, who works security at the location, noticed a car parked in a nearby lot around 5 a.m. with two people slumped over in the front seats. The victim checked on the people, opening the driver's side door and observing a syringe and needle. 

Crohn who was sitting in the driver's seat awoke and started calling the victim racial slurs telling him that "I know what you did." The victim stated that he went back inside the Lava Java and fell asleep in the back. 

According to witness and victim testimony, Crohn had entered Lava Java around 11:30 a.m. looking for the victim.

According to court documents, after noticing where the victim was sitting, Crohn left the premise and then immediately came back with a hammer in his hand. Crohn then walked over to the victim, woke him up and smashed the hammer over his head. 

Crohn fled the scene and is wanted for aggravated assault, a 2nd-degree felony.