Assault in a boarding house

Police investigate the assault at Eden Park Lodge, Auckland. Photo / Herald on Sunday, David Rowland

Commodores bassist Ronald La Pread was yesterday trying to make sense of a baseball bat attack that left a man bloodied with serious head injuries at the Auckland boarding house La Pread owns.

The injured man, aged in his 40s, was bashed in his room at the Eden Park Lodge about 11am. He was taken by ambulance to Auckland Hospital.

A man, who lived across the hall, was being spoken to by police.

The Eden Park Lodge is owned by La Pread, bass player for the famed funk/soul band of the 1970s and 80s and renowned for hits such as Three Times a Lady, Easy and Brick House.

La Pread said he knew both men involved: "It's terrible. It's most unfortunate," he said.

The two men lived across the hall from each other, and there had been no problems between them before.

The victim was a recovered alcoholic who had lived at the lodge for more than a year. La Pread said the man alleged to have committed the attack had never caused trouble before.

"I've never heard him raise his voice," he said. "He was always smiling, always helping people."

About 70 people live at the boarding house, which has been owned by La Pread for more than 15 years.

Detective Sergeant Peter Steward said the victim would undergo surgery last night.

A man had been arrested and charged with aggravated burglary and threatening a witness and was likely to face further charges.