CLEVELAND, Ohio — A Lakewood man is accused of attacking a liquor store owner and his 65-year-old father after the duo denied letting him buy items with a bad credit card, police say.
Nicholas Wilson, 28, is charged with felonious assault. He is not in police custody and a warrant was issued Thursday for his arrest.
Two other men— Michael Rivas Vazquez, 41, and Roberto Rodriguez, 42— told police they were at a Memorial Day barbeque nearby and jumped into help Wilson, who they thought was being attacked.
They are charged with attempted felonious assault and are being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail on $20,000 bond.
The 37-year-old store owner and his father were taken to MetroHealth, where they were in critical condition, police reports say. The owner’s father suffered a skull fracture, according to court records. An updated condition was not available on Saturday.
The incident happened about 8 p.m. on Memorial Day at the State Road Beverage and Liquor store.
Wilson walked into the store, tried to buy a few items and gave the 65-year-old man a credit card with no name on it, police reports say. He told Wilson he couldn’t accept the card.
Wilson became irate and trashed the store, knocking over items on the counter and smashing liquor bottles, police reports say.
The owner and his father chased Wilson from the store, according to police.
Wilson turned around and punched the 65-year-old man in the face, police reports say. The store owner jumped in the middle of the fight and Wilson tried to jump into his SUV, police reports say.
The 65-year-old man went after Wilson, police reports say.
Vazquez and Rodriguez saw the fight from the front yard of the home and tried to help Wilson, thinking he was getting attacked, police reports say.
Wilson then slammed the 65-year-old man to the ground and kicked him repeatedly, according to police.
Rodriguez shoved the store owner to the ground and repeatedly punched him in the face, police reports say. Vazquez then punched another store employee in the chest several times, police reports say.
A large group of people surrounded the fighters and said police had been called.
Wilson got in his SUV and drove off and Vazquez and Rodriquez went back to their party, according to police reports.
Officers found the 65-year-old man unconscious and bleeding heavily from his left ear, police reports say. The store owner had multiple cuts and bruises on his face and neck, according to police.
Rodriguez told police he ran down to the fight, but did not hit anyone, police reports say.
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