Clancy's Bartender Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter, Assault

SEAL BEACH, CA — In a case that has had Seal Beach talking, a 32-year-old Clancy's bartender was charged Friday with involuntary manslaughter and assault stemming from a fatal one-punch conflict with another man at a Seal Beach bar.

Matthew P. Meier of Seal Beach was off duty that night, socializing at Clancy's Bar early in the hours of July 18. Meir is accused of punching another man, 46-year-old James Tinsman, once in the face with a closed fist according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

"Witnesses called 911 and emergency medical responders took the victim to the local hospital," Orange County District Attorney's Office Chief of Staff Susan Kang Schroeder said.

Meier is charged with assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury in addition to involuntary manslaughter, and also faces a sentencing enhancement allegation of causing great bodily injury.

Tinsman succumbed to his injuries at the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center about a day later, according to Seal Beach police Sgt. Michael Henderson.

"Meier allegedly punched Tinsman once as he was standing in a doorway leading to the alley of the bar, causing him to fall," Senior Deputy District Attorney Scott Simmons said.

The probable cause of death was a skull fracture he suffered when he fell, Simmons said, but what provoked the conflict wasn't clear.

Meier was arrested in the early morning hours, Wednesday, by the Seal Beach Police Department who investigated the case, according to Henderson. As of Friday afternoon, he was being held on $250,000 bail at Central Men's Jail.

According to the District Attorney's Office, Involuntary Manslaughter is defined as when a person commits an unlawful killing but does not intend to kill and does not act with conscious disregard for human life, then the crime is involuntary manslaughter.

"In this case, there is no evidence that defendant intended to kill the victim or was aware of the risk to human life caused by his act of punching the victim one time," Kang Schroeder said. "Therefore, involuntary manslaughter and assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury are the appropriate charges."

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