NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — A French Quarter restaurant worker is slowly recovering after an assault put him in a coma.
Around 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 24, Scott Wagner was walking near the corner of Decatur and Frenchmen streets, headed toward Chuck Point Charlie Music Club, after getting off work at Mr. Ed’s Oyster Bar and Fish House.
New Orleans police say Wagner accidentally stepped on a man’s shoe as they walked past each other, and the man then allegedly punched him.
“That was the first thing that dazed him. He was staggering from what we’re told,” said Jonathan Fisher, the nephew of Scott Wagner. “Then, [police] say the gentleman walks away, and then for whatever reason, he comes back, and that’s when really the full-on assault occurs, multiple punches to the back of the head, which I think created some issues immediately for my uncle.”
Fisher, who lives in Pittsburg along with the rest of Wagner’s family, says his uncle remains hospitalized from the attack and woke up from the coma he was in about a month ago.
Fisher believes Wagner will be out of work for quite some time.
“There will be aftercare costs that aren’t covered by insurance; a lot of his therapy won’t be,” Fisher explained. “They cover it for a certain amount, and then it goes away. And then just for Scott to sort of get up on his feet.”
On Oct. 7, NOPD released a picture of the suspect (right) and his alleged accomplice (left) in hopes the public could help identify them.
However, Fisher believes the case may have reached a dead end.
“After that, it kind of went silent,” Fisher said. “It’s been two weeks since we’ve heard anything from [the detective] or the NOPD. We’ve kind of been told it’s almost too late. I don’t know if they’ll continue. We haven’t been told anything since.”
The victim’s nephew says the odds of finding the two men seem slim, and his family is more concerned about Wagner’s recovery.
“I’ll hang onto some hope for that. It’s not where I’m going to focus my energy, and I would think that I can at least speak for my family for the most part in saying that that’s where our energy is going,” Fisher said. “No one is banging down doors or trying to call the police every single day to get this, you know, bring this person to justice.”
WGNO reached out to NOPD Thursday morning to see if there were any updates in the case. A spokesperson said the investigation remains active and ongoing.
If you have any information about the crime or can identify either of the two men pictured, call 8th District detectives at (504)-658-6080 or Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans at (504)-822-1111 where your tip can remain anonymous.
A GoFundMe was set up to assist with his recovery.
Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.
