Newport Beach police Thursday asked for the public's help tracking down a man suspected in an assault on two men at a restaurant.
The alleged assault happened about 8 p.m., April 13, at Balboa Inn's Siena Cucina Italiana restaurant at 105 Main St., according to Jennifer Manzella of the Newport Beach Police Department. Manzella said a verbal altercation was escalated by the suspect into a physical conflict.
She described the suspect as a white man with gray hair, about 40 to 55 years old, standing about 6 feet tall and weighing about 200 pounds. It's unclear if the suspect was a worker at the establishment or if he was a customer. A cell phone video showing portions of the incident was captured by a witness and has been circulating online.
Three plaintiffs, Angel Bonilla, Colton Mayer, and Clement Serafins, filed a lawsuit Monday against the restaurant alleging they were targeted for being gay and, in the case of one of the victims, because he is also of Latino heritage.
The lawsuit alleges assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, negligence, invasion of privacy, defamation, false imprisonment and violation of civil rights.
The defendants are Michel Pourmussa and Farshid Yassian, owners of the restaurant, as well as the Balboa Inn and the restaurant. Bonilla, Mayer and Serafin were walking past the restaurant April 13 and decided to "treat" themselves to a meal and drinks at the upscale eatery. Soon after they entered, the bartender demanded to see their IDs as a "ruse" to refuse service, the lawsuit alleges.
The men are all older than 21 with one of the plaintiffs described as being in his mid 30s, according to the lawsuit. The bartender and another man declared the IDs to be "fake," prompting the men to ask to see a manager, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit alleges an unnamed bartender and a security guard at the restaurant have shown an "extreme animosity toward gays and minorities" through Yelp postings.
News
Top news of the day
One of the employees allegedly said, "Get the (expletive) out, you (expletive) faggots, get out," according to the lawsuit. When one of the men again asked to see a manager they were told by one of the defendants that he was "the manager, the owner, the everything," before he directed another man to "get those faggots out," the lawsuit alleges. One of the defendants yanked a stool out from under Moyer and pushed him toward the door, which was shut, the lawsuit alleges.
Moyer was shoved repeatedly against the door to open it before he was shoved to a curb, the lawsuit alleges. The others were told, "You're next," before Bonilla was thrown out of the restaurant, breaking his cell phone in the fall, he lawsuit alleges.
A patron of the restaurant was visibly upset and called police, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit demands at least $1 million for each of the three men. Anyone with information about the suspect was asked to call Det. Rick Henry at (949) 644-3790. Anonymous tips may be left with the department's hotline at (800) 550-NBPD.
