The trial for a 23-year-old Hutchinson man accused of aggravated battery for an altercation with Marcus Richardson back on December 9, 2011 got underway Tuesday.

Mark Morgan is also charged with a second count of battery for allegedly striking Richardson’s girlfriend the same night.

Both alleged victims took the stand Tuesday and testified to trying to leave the Grand Slam Nightclub inside the Ramada because of fights outside the club in the hallway of the hotel

As they stepped out of the doors to the Ramada, Morgan is alleged to have come up from behind, striking Richardson, knocking him to the ground where he hit head, knocking him out.

Two days later while still coughing up blood, he went to the doctor where they discovered he was suffering from a skull fracture as well as a fractured nasal cavity. His girlfriend says she was also struck in the mouth, then on her side, but suffered no injury.

Neither had any real contact with Morgan while in the nightclub that night, in fact Richardson says he never even met the defendant prior to being struck. Richardson says he did see him later at another club where the defendant allegedly admitted that he struck him, but blamed it on his girlfriend, but didn’t elaborate.

The aggravated battery trial for Morgan continues Wednesday in Reno County District Court.