ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- Court documents from Elkhart County reveal Benjamin Minnick has been charged with False Informing-substantially hinders a law enforcement process, a Misdemeanor, and Possession of Paraphernalia, a Misdemeanor, following a fist fight with a juvenile on Aug. 27.

Minnick's first hearing is Friday.

The Elkhart Police Department reports officers responded to the Jackson Boulevard and Elkhart Avenue around 7:51 p.m. regarding a physical fight. The caller told dispatch two men got into a fight and one was bleeding from his mouth.

Officers arrived to find a man, later identified as Minnick, hunched over a bench with the right side of his face swollen and a laceration over his right eye. Officers asked him for his ID several times, to which he refused.

Minnick told police he saw a juvenile give the finger to a car driving by and told the juvenile, "You can't be doing that." That's when Minnick said the juvenile lunged and attacked him by punching him.

An ambulance was called to the scene. Minnick refused to receive medical attention at the hospital. The witness told police he was driving on Elkhart Avenue and turning west on lo Jackson Boulevard when he saw the fight happening.

The witness exited his vehicle and attempted to separate both the parties, but said Minnick continued escalating the situation.

When the witness first tried separating the two, Minnick allegedly spit on the juvenile, which escalated the fight. The two were eventually separated.

Minnick continued his refusal to identify himself to the medics on scene. Minnick then told police his name was John Jacob Smith and gave several fake birth dates.

Police say it was obvious these names were made up, mimicking the nursery rhyme for John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.

Minnick was warned if he continued to lie about his name he would be arrested for falsely identifying to law enforcement. When no positive identification was made, Minnick was arrested.

While searching Minnick's backpack, a paper Indian ID with the name Benjamin Christopher Roy Mimick was found. Police were able to verify it was his name through BMV records.

Police say Minnick wasted 40 minutes through his refusal to identify himself, which severely impacted the efficiency of the investigation and removed multiple officers from service to Elkhart in dealing with this matter.

Upon searching Minnick's person police located a glass multi color pipe with burnt green leafy substance with the odor of burnt marijuana inside his right pocket. The residue in the pipe later tested positive for THC

Minnick was taken to Elkhart General hospital for clearance. Scans were done on his head and face. The doctor found there were no broken bones in his head or face, and his eye was only swollen with minor lacerations to his face.

Another officer spoke with the juvenile involved in the incident. A report for the battery altercation was referred to CID due to the€ difference in stories from both Minnick and the juvenile as to what happened.

The witness didn't see how the fight began.