Escondido

A case of mistaken identities led Escondido youths into a gang fight late Friday night that injured five and caused police to arrest two men, Escondido Police said Saturday.

Shortly before midnight, a group of youths began fighting in the parking lot of the Chuck E Cheese Restaurant in the 600 block of West Mission Avenue in Escondido, said Lt. John Wilson. Zachary Hollis left, saying that he was going for help. Hollis, an 18-year-old Compton resident, returned with a gun but misidentified the group of youths with whom he had been fighting.

A second fight erupted in the parking lot of K Mart, near the restaurant. About 24 people fought with tire irons, baseball bats, broken beer bottles, a knife and a pistol, Wilson said.

Police arrested two men in connection with the brawl. Louis Arbee, a 33-year-old Escondido resident who lives in the 400 block of North Midway, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, Wilson said. Police also arrested Hector Salgado, a 20-year-old Vista resident who lives in the 1200 block of Monique Court, on charges associated with a New York state warrant.

Five people were injured and taken to Palomar Medical Center. The injured included: Hollis, who suffered stab wounds in the back; Brenda Hollis, 37, of Econdido, who had leg scrapes; Gregory Borders, 17, of Escondido, who had facial scrapes; David Gomez, 23, of Escondido, who had a gunshot wound in his side; and Gerardo Romero, 18, who had a gunshot wound in his arm.

Police did not disclose whether Brenda Hollis and Zachary Hollis are related. Reached by the Times, Brenda Hollis declined to answer any questions about Zachary Hollis or the Friday night fracas.

Police are asking anyone with information about the episode to call 741-4713.