San Francisco bar owner accused of attacking man with baseball bat after parking dispute
Bar owner accused of assault in altercation over parking space
Well known bar owner Cyril Hackett arrested following dispute over a parking space. Victim said the bar owner came after him with a baseball bat.
SAN FRANCISCO - A well-known San Francisco bar owner is behind bars after allegedly assaulting a man following an argument over a parking space.
Cyril Hackett, the owner of Mad Dog in the Fog and Kezar Pub, was arrested Friday, according to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
Argument over parking space
What we know:
The incident began when Hackett and Drew Wood, an employee at Further, a clothing store a few doors down from Mad Dog in the Fog, got into an argument over a parking space.
"We got in an argument over a parking dispute — super petty," Wood said.
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Wood’s co-worker, who only wished to identify themself as Wolf, recorded part of the interaction.
"This is when I got video of him backing into my friend, and I was telling him to keep moving," said Wolf. "He then hit me with the door a couple of times. That’s when I stopped the video because it got pretty serious."
Wolf eventually parked in the space, and the two men thought the conflict was over.
Man allegedly returns with baseball bat
What they're saying:
The men said Hackett returned about eight hours later carrying a baseball bat. They said video shows Hackett slamming the bat onto a desk, grabbing a jacket from a clothing rack and leaving.
"In my head, I’m like, ‘You’re not going to hit me with a bat. You’re a business owner,’" Wood said. "But on the other side of that, I was like, ‘This fool might hit me with a bat.’"
Wood and Wolf said they followed Hackett outside. Wood said Hackett then swung the bat at him.
"I’m trying to get to the merchandise, but dodging his little swings," Wood said. "And then he gets me — right on the side of the knee. Just enough to make it hard to walk."
Wood said he was not seriously injured. He and Wolf recovered the jacket and blocked Hackett’s vehicle until police arrived and arrested him.
DA reviewing case
What's next:
Employees at Mad Dog in the Fog declined to comment.
Wood said he does not believe Hackett was intoxicated during the incident. Despite what happened, Wood said he does not hold a grudge.
"I don’t wish harm or anything bad to happen to him," Wood said. "I just hope he understands it was dumb and thinks, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t threaten people with baseball bats over parking disputes.’"
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins confirmed Hackett remains in custody while her office reviews the case. He is accused of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
What we don't know:
The district attorney's office said it plans to announce whether formal charges will be filed Tuesday.
The Source: This story is based on interviews with the alleged victim and a witness, video of the incident, comments from District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and reporting from KTVU at Mad Dog in the Fog.