'Let's Go Outside': Darien Jewel Fight Results In Arrests

DARIEN, IL – A regular customer in the deli at Darien's Jewel store is accused of challenging an employee to a fight last week, police said.

They struck each other, with officers arresting both men.

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They are a 27-year-old man who lives in an unincorporated area near Burr Ridge and a 60-year-old Darien man who lives in the 8100 block of Chapman Court, police said.

Patch obtained the police report through a public records request.

Last Monday morning, the younger man was working in the deli when the older one approached to ask for a slice of cheese. When the 27-year-old sliced it, the customer said it wasn't thin enough.

The older man, who was sitting in a motorized shopping cart at first, said the younger one got mad and asked him to take it outside, with the 27-year-old punching him in the face, police said.

Store employees reported that they had had problems with the customer before.

The employee gave a different account to officers: He said he wanted someone else to deal with the man, but everyone else was busy.

The employee said that when he sliced the cheese, the older man demanded that the worker walk it to him, but the employee refused to do so.

By the employee's account, the older man said the worker did not know how to do his job.

The younger man walked away, but the customer said, "Let's go outside right now" and "I will show you're a a p---y, you're all talk. I'll beat your a-- right now," according to the report.

The employee said he exited the deli, with the customer getting in his face and chest-bumping him, police said. The employee said he hit the customer three times, including in the face, police said.

Surveillance footage showed the two men arguing, with the deli manager getting in between them, the report said.

They got inches from each other's faces. The customer pushed the employee twice, police said.

The footage showed the worker then striking the older man multiple times, police said. The customer walked away.

The older man was taken by ambulance to Hinsdale Hospital, with medics saying the man was on blood thinners and it was a good idea to get him checked out, police said.

The manager confirmed that the employee had asked her to take care of the customer because of previous issues.

She said she heard the customer asking the employee to take the situation outside, threatening to "beat his a--," according to the report.

She told police that the older man must have said something that was triggering because the employee hadn't acted that way before.

The 60-year-old was charged with one count of battery, while the 27-year-old faces two counts. They were given court dates and released.