Former San Gabriel mayor won’t be charged in food fight

Authorities have decided not to file charges against the former mayor of San Gabriel, who resigned after getting arrested in connection with an alleged altercation with a female companion.

Officials from the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said they passed on the case against Albert Huang in early December when Lu Chen, the woman involved in the argument, left the country and declined to cooperate.

Huang had been facing possible charges of felony robbery, assault and battery related to the October incident. Huang was having a late-night snack with Chen at the New Taste Dumpling House in San Gabriel when they allegedly began bickering. She threw a steamer of dumplings at him; he poured a plate of vinegar on her.

Then the couple took the fight outside, with Huang allegedly snatching her purse and trying to drive off. The dramatic moment came when a security guard across Valley Boulevard started chasing Huang after reportedly seeing him speeding off in his sport utility vehicle with Chen clinging to the side.

But then Chen left town and declined to cooperate.

“When you have a case of ‘she said, he said,’ it’s very difficult to prosecute when you don’t have the victim who is also the main witness,” said Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman in the district attorney’s office. “The victim is basically out of the country. We feel it is necessary for the victim to be present in order to prosecute.”

Huang’s lawyer, Darren Cornforth, said his client has always maintained his innocence and is thrilled about the chance to clear his name.

“He is very happy about the outcome of the case,” Cornforth said. “He does feel vindicated that he has not committed a crime.”

In addition to the loss of a key witness, Cornforth said he believes authorities simply did not find enough credible evidence to build a case.

“They need additional proof to back up the statement of the complaining witness,” Cornforth said. “We sent our own investigators out there and they didn’t see the situation the way the victim did.”

chingching.ni@latimes.com