CORAL GABLES, Fla. – A former employee of Graziano’s Mercado restaurant in Coral Gables was arrested Monday after he went to the business to collect the tips from his last shift, but then assaulted an employee, authorities said.
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According to an arrest report, police were called to the restaurant at 2301 Galiano St. just before 7:30 p.m. about a disturbance in progress.
Police said the suspect, Francis Sanchez Jr., 31, of Coral Gables, had gone to the restaurant to gather his tips, but then went behind a counter and began to throw merchandise on the floor, causing about $1,025 in damages.
According to the report, Sanchez also threw a bottle of wine to the floor and a second bottle of wine at the feet of an employee, although the bottle did not strike the employee.
Police said the employee followed Sanchez out of the restaurant while calling police.
Officers said that once Sanchez realized the employee was calling police, he began punching the victim in the face – striking him three times.
According to the report, the victim punched Sanchez in the upper chest area and Sanchez then fled the area on foot.
Police detained Sanchez at the intersection of Ponce De Leon Boulevard and Giralda Avenue.
According to the report, officers reviewed surveillance video from the area and concluded that Sanchez was the primary aggressor of the physical altercation.
Police said he also provided some kind of admission, although his exact statement was redacted from the publicly released report.
Sanchez was arrested on charges of battery and criminal mischief.
As of Tuesday morning, Sanchez remained held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $2,500 bond.