Supervisor Stanton Involved in Scuffle With Man at Mall

County Supervisor Roger R. Stanton and a Northern California man were involved in a scuffle Wednesday afternoon, leading each to complain that the other was guilty of assault, police said.

The incident, which took place shortly after 2 p.m. at Cafe Nordstrom inside Nordstrom’s South Coast Plaza store, involved Stanton, 52, and Ali Kashiyarandi, 44. Stanton said later that he had never before met Kashiyarandi, whom police said was from El Cerrito, which is near Berkeley.

“Ali Kashiyarandi and Roger Stanton became involved in a disagreement,” Police Lt. Sam Cordeiro said. “It appears that a pushing match was started.”

Restaurant employees and patrons witnessed the event, and Cordeiro added that some said the two men exchanged shoves before Kashiyarandi fell to the floor.

Stanton, however, said Wednesday night that he didn’t push Kashiyarandi, who he said approached him in the line for the cafe while Stanton and his wife were waiting for a table.

“There was no back and forth,” Stanton said. “I was assaulted while waiting in line at the cafeteria. He made a swearing expression behind me, right in my ear. . . . Then he tapped me on the chest. He stepped back a couple of steps, looked for a place to sit and fell back.”

Stanton added that Kashiyarandi had said nothing that indicated why he was angry with the supervisor.

Kashiyarandi could not be reached for comment, but police said he has denied ever touching Stanton and claimed that the supervisor started the exchange.

“Kashiyarandi fell or dropped to the floor and complained of neck pains,” Cordeiro said. Kashiyarandi was taken to Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center, Cordeiro added, but hospital officials said they had no record of his having been admitted.

No arrests were made, but both Stanton and Kashiyarandi say they intend to press charges. Stanton said that although he was not hurt, Kashiyarandi both verbally and physically abused him.

Reports of the incident will be forwarded to the Orange County district attorney’s office for review, Cordeiro said.

Stanton is a Fountain Valley Republican who once served as that city’s mayor and as a member of its City Council. He was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 1980, and reelected in 1984 and 1988.