Police Question Three in Beating of Phillips

Police questioned but did not arrest three construction workers Friday in connection with the attack on Charger nose tackle Joe Phillips outside a Mission Beach restaurant.

The men arrived separately at the police department’s Northern Division station and voluntarily submitted to questioning for about 30 minutes each, Sgt. Pete Munholand said.

The men, all San Diego residents, were not arrested because they are cooperating with investigators and are not likely to leave town, Munholand said.

Phillips was released Friday from Sharp Memorial Hospital after suffering a concussion, a fractured bone around his eye, fractured nose, cuts and bruises in the attack. He offered, for the first time, his account of the Wednesday morning incident.

In a statement, Phillips said that after he and a female friend left Saska’s restaurant on Mission Boulevard, a car pulled up as they walked, and words were exchanged between men in the car and the woman. The men then got out, Phillips said, began yelling and pushed the woman to the ground.

At that point, Phillips said, he decided to take action. Two of the men came at him, he said, and then he was hit in the back of the head and fell.

“The next thing I remember is looking up, seeing the girl being held by at least one of them,” Phillips said. “And then I remember getting kicked, and then I went out. The next thing I remember is walking up to the ambulance.

“All I was saying was ‘Come on, let’s get in the car and get out of here.’ I wasn’t interested in fighting at all. I’d never seen them before. Have no idea (who they were). I said ‘Wait a minute. I’ve never seen you before. What the hell are you doing?’ There was no reason. It was completely unprovoked.”

Witnesses have differed about the number of men involved, saying it was between three and six. Munholand said investigators have not determined if one of the men had steel-toed boots, as some witnesses reported.

Munholand said Phillips had been drinking but that witnesses said he did not appear drunk. Phillips said he believes he can identify his assailants, Munholand said.

Investigators are finishing witness interviews in preparation for a police lineup and submission of the case to the district attorney’s office as early as Monday, Munholand said.

The men who talked with police Friday are construction workers in their early 20s; one is about 6-feet-2 and more than 200 pounds, the other two 5-9, 190, and 5-9, 170, police said. Phillips, 27, is 6-5 and 315 pounds and considered the strongest player on the Chargers.

Two of the men were accompanied by their lawyers, and the third brought his stepfather, Munholand said.

Munholand refused to release names, the nature of the questioning or whether the men acknowledged or denied involvement in the beating. He also declined to say whether additional suspects were being sought, given the conflicting reports on the number of attackers.

“These three young men are possible suspects. I don’t want to jeopardize the investigation by saying anything more,” Munholand said.

Police also asked photographers present when the men entered the police station not to publish or broadcast pictures so witnesses would not be influenced before the police lineup, Munholand said.

Possible charges include assault with great bodily harm, Munholand said.

The three suspects called police early Friday after investigators Thursday traced the license plate of a red Toyota that one of the men borrowed from a friend in the Mesa College area, Munholand said.

Witnesses also will be asked at the time of the lineup to identify the car, which has been impounded.

Dr. Lee Rice, a Charger physician, said Phillips had been expected to remain in the hospital until surgery to repair the eye and nose injuries. Rice said surgery was originally scheduled for today but that the swelling had not gone down sufficiently to allow it, leading to his early release.

Rice said Phillips likely will have the surgery Thursday. He has been placed on the reserve/non-football injury list by the Chargers and is expected to miss at least eight weeks.

Rice said Phillips left the hospital in good spirits.

“I think he’s feeling more optimistic about his future,” Rice said. “He was just real concerned that there was going to be permanent damage.”

Phillips’ starting position will be filled by Les Miller and George Hinkle. Charger Coach Dan Henning said players’ concern for Phillips will not likely affect the team’s performance.

“I don’t think the attitude of the football team about Joe Phillips has anything to do with football,” Henning said. “They feel like Les Miller and George Hinkle are good football players. They’re treating it as is something’s happened to Joe and he can’t play. I think their attitude and their concerns are more about Joe’s personal health and safety and the empathy they have for the situation he got into.”