Fall River man to be arraigned on Manslaughter charge connected to weekend bar fight death

A 27-year-old Fall River man allegedly threw a fatal punch during a bar fight in Fall River last Friday that led to the death of a 37-year-old Assonet man. He has turned himself in to authorities this afternoon and will be arraigned on a charge of Manslaughter in Fall River District Court after 2 pm today.

On Friday, December 8 at around 2 am, Fall River Police responded to the Belmont Club for a report of a fight at the bar. Upon arrival, police located the victim as he was regaining consciousness. The victim was identified as Bryce Sabol, 37, of Assonet. (The victim previously resided in Leominster)

Mr. Sabol was transported to Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River before being transferred to Rhode Island Hospital. While at Rhode Island Hospital, the victim again lost consciousness and, although still on a ventilator awaiting organ harvesting for donation, was declared deceased on December 9.

The investigation revealed the victim and another man got into a verbal argument inside the bar and took the fight outside. While the victim and the other man were engaged in a fight, witnesses reported seeing the defendant, Pholla Mao, 27, of Fall River, approach Mr. Sabol from the side and punch him once in the head. The victim was knocked off his feet and was unconscious for a matter of minutes prior to the arrival of police on scene.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by detectives from the Fall River Police Department’s Major Crimes Division and State Police Troopers assigned to District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn’s office.