Man accused of assaulting manager of local eatery

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A man is accused of putting a restaurant manager in a headlock and breaking his clavicle after the manager asked the man to leave the establishment, police said. 

Claude E. Thompson, 29, was arrested and booked into Pinal County Jail on suspicion of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct, according to officers. 

According to Maricopa Police, witnesses stated and surveillance footage showed that a manager asked Thompson to leave the restaurant’s patio for unknown reasons at about 11:40 a.m. He refused. 

When the manager tried to step away to call police, they said, Thompson reportedly stepped in front of the manager, preventing him from returning inside. 

Thompson reportedly then pushed the manager, and the manager pushed Thompson back, according to the probable-cause statement. Thompson then grabbed the manager and slammed him to the ground, where Thompson reportedly placed him in a headlock for a few seconds. The manager was taken to Dignity Health Center, where medical staff determined his right clavicle had been broken. 

Thompson reportedly admitted to involvement in the altercation and pushing the manager, police said. 

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Brian Petersheim Jr., Reporter
Brian became part of the InMaricopa team in October 2020, starting as a multimedia intern with a focus on various multimedia tasks. His responsibilities included file organization and capturing photos of events and incidents. After graduating from Maricopa High School in the class of 2021, his internship seamlessly transitioned into a full-fledged job. Initially serving as a dedicated photographer, Brian's role evolved in October 2021 when he took on a new beat as a writer. He is currently pursuing his studies at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Brian's primary focus lies in covering public safety-related stories. In his free time, Brian finds joy in spending quality time with his family and embarking on adventures to explore the landscapes around him.