<p>A state Board of Regents member apologized to his colleagues after being involved in a street brawl that sent his neighbor to the hospital.</p><p>Don Leebern, 68, got into a fist fight on Saturday with Mason Lewis Bentley, the son of former Athens mayor Upshaw Bentley. Bentley, 49, was sent to the emergency room after suffering a broken nose and a punctured and collapsed lung.</p><p>"It was an unfortunate incident, which I hope was put to rest," Leebern said after an executive session meeting.</p><p>University officials said Wednesday that they support Leebern and believe the former University of Georgia football player acted in self defense.</p><p>"Don Leebern is a friend of mine and has been for a while," Regent Richard Tucker said. "He took the only action he could take. He was defending himself."</p><p>Bentley and Leebern got into an argument when their dogs barked at each other. Leebern and Georgia gymnastics coach Suzanne Yoculan, who was with Leebern, said Bentley yelled obscenities at them.</p><p>But Bentley said Leebern wanted revenge and called him out into the street. Leebern said Bentley continually attacked him even while he was attempting to leave.</p><p>When a deputy arrived, he noted that Bentley smelled of alcohol.</p><p>Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry said the evidence at the scene supports Leebern's account. Berry added that blood was found down the street from Bentley's property.</p><p>"It looks like it's true Mr. Bentley followed them at least 60-something feet down the road," he said.</p><p>Last year, Leebern faced criticism for distributing a wine bearing the UGA logo. Leebern said he was not aware of the wine being distributed through one of his companies, Georgia Crown.</p><p>Regents policy prohibits university logos from being used to promote alcoholic drinks.</p><p>But backers of Leebern _ also chairman of the board of MCG Health Inc. _ said his dedication to the university system outweighs any mistakes he has made.</p><p>"It has no bearing on his service," Tucker said.</p><p>UGA President Michael Adams agreed, saying Leebern "gets the big issues about as well as anybody I've ever worked with on a board. The service he has rendered to the university is exemplary."</p>
