Police investigating assault at Maple City Ice

NORWALK — It appears striking Maple City Ice employees are subjects of an assault investigation.Not much is known as the case is still under investigation, but Huron County Sheriff Todd Corbin told the Register assault charges are on the table."The case has been sent to the law director's office to determine the appropriate charges," Corbin said. "(It) could be assault, aggravated assault, or felonious assault, depending on how the law director sees it."It seems the alleged assault occurred on Maple City Ice property sometime this past week. More information will become available Wednesday (TODAY), Corbin said.Company president Pat Hipp did not respond to an inquiry Wednesday afternoon. She did, however, provide a statement regarding this incident to the Norwalk Reflector.That statement read in full:"On Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017, a number of Maple City Ice striking employees, along with the Teamster agent and another Teamster he brought from out of town, began verbally harassing and threatening independent truck drivers who were delivering loads of beer from the brewery. Later that day, the Teamster harasser from out of town crossed onto company property and began threatening an independent truck driver from the brewery, telling him he would 'flatten his tires' and 'take care of him for crossing over an active picket line.' Apparently, the independent truck driver believed he was going to be physically assaulted by the out-of-town Teamster, and when the Teamster charged at him, he struck him in self-defense. An employee of the Maple City Ice Co. witnessed the event. The Huron County Sheriff's Office took statements from the parties and witnesses, after which the independent truck driver was permitted to go on his way. The company has not heard anything further from the sheriff's office regarding the matter."Striking mattersOn Sept. 1, eight delivery drivers went on strike amid concerns the company would take away their pensions.The men, who have each worked for the Norwalk-based company for 25 or more years, are members of the Central States Pension Fund, a failing multi-business benefit account, company president Pat Hipp said.The company wants out of this pension fund, and, if this occurs, the striking workers could lose a majority of their pensions, union reps told the Register.Company executives and union representatives convened several times this month to end the strike. Thus far, neither side can agree on the pension issue. They're scheduled to meet again on Friday with a mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. "Maple City refuses to wait because they want out," union rep Mark Schmiehausen said. "When the stock market crashed in 2008, that hurt many pension funds. The pension fund wants to be solvent."Related:• Drivers for Norwalk company go on strike• Maple City Management speaks on strike• Maple City Ice strikers misled?• Maple City Ice meets with union, strike continuesReach reporter Patrick Pfanner at pfanner@sanduskyregister.com, follow him on Twitter @PatPfanner and follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterDelivery drivers for Maple City Ice Co., located in Norwalk, went on strike on Sept. 1 after a dispute regarding pensions couldn't be resolved with management.