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ROSEPINE, Louisiana — Two men have been arrested for attacking a longtime American Press (Lake Charles, Louisiana) carrier while he was delivering newspapers to the door of an elderly resident’s home in Rosepine.

Douglas Paul James, 32, of DeRidder and Dillon Matthew James, 24, of Rosepine were arrested on Wednesday and charged with one count each of second-degree battery.

According to Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft, the arrests stem from an attack that occurred at 3 am. Dec. 17, when officers with the Rosepine Police Department requested assistance from VPSO in relation to a battered person.

Craft said VPSO deputies traveled to Rosepine and met with a male subject who indicated he had been delivering newspapers in the area of Catfish Hut Road that morning. The man said he had walked up a driveway to place a newspaper on a porch when he was approached by at least two males.

The victim said the men confronted him and questioned him about what he was doing on the property, and then the men struck him.

The victim said he was able to get to his vehicle and leave the location, and that he traveled to a business in Rosepine, where he made contact with Rosepine police to report the attack.

The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment for his injuries.

READ MORE: Victim shares of his long road to recovery; learn how to help.

Craft said detectives and deputies canvased locations on Catfish Hut Road and went to the residence where the incident was said to have occurred and were able to identify the two men involved.

Through their investigation, detectives determined the victim had been delivering newspapers in the area for quite some time, and it was a habit for the victim to walk a newspaper to the porch of some customers who the victim knew to be elderly or suffering health issues.

Detectives learned, unbeknownst to the victim, the elderly gentleman who lived at the residence where the attack occurred previously had a prowler at his residence.