The fate of a clown-suit-wearing Isla Vista man is in the hands of the District Attorney’s office after a slapstick incident in which he allegedly severely beat a UCSB student.

The 20-year-old Isla Vista man, whose name is being withheld because he has not been charged with any crime, may be charged with battery with serious injury if the district attorney decides to do so. The I.V. Foot Patrol officer handling the case has requested the alleged batterer be charged.

At about 1:45 Sunday morning, two IVFP officers responded to a report of a fight between two men near a residence on the 6500 block of Del Playa Drive. Joseph Timothy Wiles, 20, remained at the scene, suffering from three chipped teeth, facial abrasions, bruised eyes and a laceration on his nose that required seven sutures when he was taken to Goleta Valley Hospital.

Although witnesses told the officers the alleged instigator of the fight fled the scene while wearing a red and blue clown suit, one witness told an officer he could lead police to the alleged instigator directly. The officer found the man in a residence on the 6500 block. The officer said the man, who was no longer wearing his costume, was sweaty and upset.

The man told the officer he had approached Wiles because a resident of Wiles’ house threw a water balloon at a third man. The man said although Wiles had punched him first, he remembered punching Wiles several times. Wiles later denied punching the man.

The officer said the man appeared drunk, but regretted punching Wiles.

When the district attorney will make a decision depends upon how the case is prioritized among other pending cases. The district attorney could not be reached for comment.