Fresno police officer subdues McDonald’s worker after fight

Fresno police said an officer managed to subdue an out-of-control McDonald’s worker late Friday night after a fight broke out between two men in the kitchen.

The incident happened about 10:30 p.m. at the McDonald’s on East Kings Canyon Road east of South Clovis Avenue.

Sgt. Eddie Barrios said officer Eloy Escareno was hit on the head with his baton during the fight and had to keep the worker from grabbing his handgun out of its holster. Despite being badly injured, Escareno kept the worker under control until backup arrived.

The worker, identified by police as 23-year-old Tyler Deel, was charged with assault on an officer and trying to remove his handgun. He was booked into Fresno County Jail on the felony charges. Barrios said Deel told officers he assaulted Escareno because he hates cops.

Barrios described what happened:

Officers were sent to the McDonald’s on a call of a worker physically fighting with the manager.

Escareno arrived within minutes, but when he walked in the restaurant nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. He asked if there were any problems and a worker pointed him to the kitchen and to Deel.

Escareno walked to Deel and began talking to him, while at the same time the store manager motioned to the officer, acknowledging he was talking to the right person.

Within seconds, Deel punched Escareno, unprovoked, in the face. Escareno defended himself by punching Deel in the face and forcing him to the floor. As they fell, Deel was able to get hold of Escareno’s baton and hit the officer several times in the back of the head.

As shocked employees looked on, Deel yanked at Escareno’s holstered gun but was unable to remove it.

Barrios said Escareno was treated at Community Regional Medical Center for head injuries. He is off work for a few days but is expected to fully recover.

This story was originally published September 5, 2015 at 9:05 AM with the headline "Fresno police officer subdues McDonald’s worker after fight."