By DANIEL HERATY
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN – A birthday party Jan. 15 at Chuck E. Cheese’s, 24399 Michigan Ave., allegedly turned violent for one resident.
According to published reports, a 50-year-old woman was celebrating her grandchild’s birthday when she was allegedly assaulted by a man at a nearby table after she told him and a woman to watch their language.
The man, described as black, in his 30s, between 6 feet 3 inches and 6 feet 4 inches tall with a medium build and wearing a gray coat, allegedly punched her in the face and dragged her by the hair. A 36-year-old family friend of the grandmother also allegedly was shoved to the ground and punched.
During the incident, a table was allegedly flipped over, leaving the grandmother underneath. The suspect then allegedly fled in a gray Toyota Corolla.
Dearborn Police Lt. Patricia Penman said officers are still gathering information and that a warrant request will not be filed with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office until the victim and the suspect present their side of the story. She said surveillance video turned up no evidence, but showed four people: the suspect, a woman, the grandmother and the family friend.
“This was a big melee,” Penman said, “so you can’t see who’s doing what.”
In an email, a Chuck E. Cheese’s spokeswoman said maintaining a safe experience remains a primary concern for the restaurant chain.
“Unfortunately, unacceptable behavior seems to often be a part of today’s society,” she said. “And it’s mostly adults, not the kids who are the problems at sporting events, schools, and on very rare occasion at Chuck E. Cheese’s.”
(Daniel Heraty can be reached at [email protected])