WESTLAKE VILLAGE : Man Accused of Making Threats in Restaurant

A 30-year-old Westlake Village man was arrested Friday night on suspicion of stalking and then threatening his former girlfriend at gunpoint in a crowded Simi Valley restaurant--a scene that sent Basilico patrons diving for cover under tables, authorities said.

About 10 p.m., Michael Schoneman followed his former girlfriend, Nichole Pellegriano, to the restaurant where she worked as a waitress and started arguing with Basilico owner Eleano Camboni, Simi Valley police said.

The two became involved in an altercation, struggled and Schoneman pulled out a handgun and threatened the restaurant owner, police said.

“The guy shoves the .357 magnum in [Camboni’s] gut, all the patrons dive under the tables,” Sgt. Greg Riegert said. “It looked like something out of a movie.”

Schoneman then threatened Pellegriano with the weapon, at one point pulling her out of the restaurant and saying he would shoot her, officials said. Pellegriano and Camboni were not injured.

Schoneman had been released from prison four days earlier after serving a felony drunk driving sentence, officials said. He had been trying to rekindle a relationship with Pellegriano and had made numerous threats to both her and Camboni, officials said.

After he left the restaurant in a pickup truck, officers contacted his parole officer and drove to a residence in Newbury Park where they believed he was staying, police said. They found Schoneman unconscious, apparently from an overdose of medication, officials said.

He was arrested and taken to a hospital, then later booked into Ventura Main Jail, police said.