By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
A Chapel Hill man is fighting for his life at UNC Hospitals more than a week after he was beaten unconscious on Franklin Street.
Randy Roland, a 39-year-old father of two, was found lying in the street near Local 506 by Dr. Stephen Gamboa, a resident at UNC Hospitals, in the early-morning hours of July 13.
According to Chapel Hill police, a witness across the street saw five or six men approach Roland.
“One of the individuals apparently struck him with his fist and then he went down,†Lt. Kevin Gunter said, adding that it is unclear whether Roland hit his head on the curb as he fell.
“The group, along with the suspect in this case, left the scene,†he said.
Gamboa was driving home from work when he spotted Roland.
“I kind of stabilized him at the scene so EMS could get there and transport him,†he said, adding that Roland appeared to be seriously injured.
“He was unresponsive, and he had blood coming out of his ear,†Gamboa said.
Gunter said he could not comment on possible leads, as there is an ongoing investigation. “There’s a lot of information that we’re still learning about this,†he said. “Hopefully people, if they come forward, can shed more light on this.â€
Gunter added that police are treating the assault as an isolated incident.
An employee from Local 506 called 911 around the time that Gamboa found Roland.
Glenn Boothe, owner of Local 506, said Roland had come into the music club near the end of that night’s show and was only inside briefly.
“Shortly after Mr. Roland left, a staff person became aware of activity outside of the club, and when he went to investigate, he found Mr. Roland lying on the pavement, near the sidewalk,†Boothe said in a prepared statement. “Unfortunately, no one on the Local 506 staff witnessed what actually happened to Mr. Roland.â€
Summer Milner, Roland’s girlfriend, said he is not doing well.
“My children are a wreck, and what mother should ever have to tell her children that daddy isn’t coming home,†Milner wrote in an email. “Randy is fighting for his life and I pray he does come home to us.â€
Police are asking anyone who might have seen what happened or who has any information about this case to come forward.