GARDEN GROVE : Refusal to Sell Beer Followed by Melee

It took more than 20 police officers to quell a fracas that broke out Sunday night after a store clerk refused to sell beer to a man she thought was drunk.

Five people were arrested on various charges after battling with police in the parking lot of a Smith’s Food and Drug Center on Harbor Boulevard about 9:30 p.m., police said.

Three officers suffered minor injuries, including one with a broken hand, Lt. John Woods said.

A clerk refused to sell a 12-pack of beer to customer Manuel Tellez, 36, of Garden Grove, after he became unruly because his automatic teller machine card failed to work at the cash register, Woods said.

Screaming profanities, Tellez was escorted from the store by a security guard and then began shoving the guard, according to store manager Glen Borst.

Several of Tellez’s relatives and friends joined in fighting with the guard outside and then attacked the first two police officers who showed up, Woods said. More than 20 additional officers were called in to handle the fight amid a crowd that grew quickly to an estimated 150 people on the busy street.

“It did attract quite a crowd. A lot . . . gathered and were taunting the people to fight with the officers,” Woods said.

Police eventually used pepper spray to quiet the melee, Woods said.

Booked into Orange County Jail were Tellez, 36, Ida Tellez, 45, Raymond Escalante, 50, Richard Escalante, 26, and Harvey Escalante, 22, Woods said. Charges against the five included assault, assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. Police did not know whether those arrested were related.

Borst said business was back to normal at the supermarket on Monday and there were no plans to beef up security. “It’s business as usual,” he said.