Two arrested after downtown Corbin beating Sunday

A Corbin man and a 17-year-old juvenile are facing felony charges after allegedly beating another juvenile Sunday afternoon and leaving him lying in the middle of a busy downtown street.
Robert William Petro, 18, and a 17-year-old accomplice are charged with second-degree assault in the wake of the incident. The two were arrested at a home on Cleveland Street in Corbin after police received information about their identity and whereabouts.
According to police and witnesses, Petro and the juvenile drove up next to 17-year-old Robert Hibbitts, beat him and left him lying in the middle of the intersection of Kentucky Ave. and Fourth Street.
Corbin Police Officer Rick Baker, who is investigating the case, said Petro’s juvenile accomplice was the one that actually carried out the assault. Both were charged with the same offense because Petro supposedly did nothing to stop the assault.
“Witnesses say there was some kind of weapon. They say he may have used a pipe, but we never found anything in their car,” Baker said. “The one that assaulted him, he said he had said something about his sister. I guess they just didn’t get along.”
The assault happened at about 2:15 p.m. Baker said several people witnessed the beating.
Hibbitts was transported by ambulance to Baptist Regional Medical Center to be treated for three bruised ribs and various other injuries.
“When we got there, he tried to get up, but we just had him lay there until EMS arrived,” Baker said.
According to Baker, the two suspects were identified by Hibbitt’s girlfriend and were arrested later in the day.