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Bond set for man accused of killing man at Hamilton bar

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file photo Brandon James Ashdown

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By Hannah Poturalski and Richard Wilson
Staff Writer Updated 9:09 PM Monday, October 3, 2011

HAMILTON — A 27-year-old man is in custody accused of murder while the family of the alleged victim is trying to raise money to cover funeral costs.

Brandon James Ashdown, of the 1600 block of Shuler Avenue, is accused of stabbing 32-year-old Steven A. Powell multiple times during a fight Friday night at The Village Inn, 447 N. Second St., authorities said. Ashdown is being held in the Butler County Jail after a judge set bond at $250,000 Monday morning.

An autopsy was completed Monday morning, but the details will not be released until today, said Butler County Coroner’s investigator Andy Willis.

Police said the stabbing occurred after an altercation at the bar between the suspect and the victim.

“This bar has been in my family since 1985. Nothing like this has ever happened,” said James Burke, bar manager and son of the property owner, Beverly Burke.

Burke, who lives next to the bar, said he got a call around 11:30 p.m. that night from the bartender who said he needed to come right away to break up a fight. By the time he got there, it was too late.

Within seconds after arriving through the side entrance, Burke said he saw Powell stagger away from the fight near the front entrance of the bar, which sits at the corner of Hensel Place and North Second Street. Powell fell to the ground between the bar and the pool table, Burke said. The victim was pronounced dead a short time later at The Fort Hamilton Hospital, according to police.

“I’m still in shock from it. It was the worst feeling I’ve ever had before,” Burke said. “It happened so quick. I ran from home to here. I’m usually good at breaking it up, but I just didn’t get my chance.”

There was no evidence apparent at the bar Monday afternoon that the fatal stabbing occurred. Burke said his mother worked for 12 hours to clean the carpet and the entire bar Saturday.

There were 32 calls for service to The Village Inn in 2009 and 2010, according to Hamilton police records. About half of the calls were for fights or similar trouble and there were three assaults reported during that time, records show. There have been no stabbings or shootings at the bar this year, said Hamilton police spokeswoman Kristy Collins.

Friends and family crowded into Hamilton Municipal Court for the arraignment Monday morning. They said the suspect smiled at them while he was being taken away to jail.

Powell was separated from his wife. Though his biological family disagrees, he was planning to marry again after getting a divorce, said Mandy Bolen, who police records show lived with the victim.

Bolen said she and Powell planned to move to the west side of the city, away from the North End neighborhood where he grew up. She said he was supposed to start a new job on Monday through a temporary employment service.

“If anybody needed anything, he’d give it,” Bolen said of Powell. “We had a dream of having a home and nice furniture. We talked about having children and having a life together.”

Powell’s family is trying to get funds to pay for funeral expenses. His mother, Maggie Still, said she has applied for a loan and is trying to sell property to get funds. She said a friend of the family has donated a burial plot in Greenwood Cemetery.

Still said her son was passionate about nature and animals and had a strong bond with his family.

“My son was very compassionate. He loved his nieces and nephews. It made him happy to give,” she said.

Donations can be made to a memorial fund account set up in Steve A. Powell’s name at Chaco Credit Union.

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