Switch From Ref to Fighter Lands Man With Assault Charge: Report

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A man is accused of punching someone in the head after switching from referee to combatant during a summertime fight at the Southington Denny's, police said.

On Tuesday, Jayson Calderon-Perez, 34, was arrested on an outstanding warrant held by the Southington Police Department. The warrant, which stemmed from a fight that occurred on Aug. 11, 2018 at the Denny’s at 621 Queen St., charged him with second-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace.

According to a report on the incident, Calderon-Perez was at Denny’s that day with several other people. An woman he was with became involved in a dispute with a woman at another table, according to a report.

The dispute turned physical and he attempted to separate the two woman, according to a report. In doing so, however, he struck someone in the head from behind, knocking the person unconscious, according to a report.

The person fell onto the table of another patron and Calderon-Perez is accused of striking the already unconscious person again, a report indicates.

According to a report, Calderon-Perez then fled the restaurant with his group.

A photo from the Denny’s surveillance system was distributed by Southington police and an anonymous person provided enough information to identified Calderon-Perez, according to a report.

He was initially held on a $10,000 bond and that was cut in half during his Feb. 11 arraignment, court records show. He did not post that bond and is scheduled to appear in Bristol Superior Court next on March 12, records show.

Photo Credit: SPD

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