A 23-year-old Cromwell man is in Dunedin Hospital with fractures around his eye socket after he fell on to the leg of an upturned chair during a "scuffle" at a Cromwell party.
The chair leg pierced his face, just missing the man's left eye, Sergeant Ian Kerrisk, of Alexandra, said yesterday.
Emergency services were called to the party at a Kawarau Court home at 3.30am on Saturday.
Two Cromwell police officers attended. Twelve people were at the party and because they were "intoxicated and unco-operative" another four police staff were called from Alexandra to assist, Sgt Kerrisk said.
The injured man was taken to Dunedin Hospital and police had established the man was involved in a "scuffle" at the party.The man is in "a satisfactory condition."
However, they were satisfied that his fall was an accident and not a deliberate act, he said.
A 19-year-old Cromwell man has been arrested and charged with assault and will appear in the Alexandra District Court this week.
