Rude Customer Attacks Store Clerk

Although talking loudly on one’s cell phone in a store isn’t a crime, beating up the clerk who asks you to leave is.

A North Hollywood man learned that lesson along with a trip to jail Sunday night.
According to Burbank Police, the suspect, Michael James Palumbo, 23, of North Hollywood, entered a business in the 100 block of E. Magnolia Blvd., disrupting customers by talking loudly on his cell phone.  He then asked the clerk if he could use the restroom.  When the clerk told him the restrooms were for customer’s only, Palumbo became angry and began yelling obscenities at the clerk and challenged him to fight.  Palumbo was then asked to leave the business, and again challenged the clerk to fight before leaving.  Once outside, he began banging on the windows and continued to yell profanities at the man.

At 10 p.m., when the clerk got off work and began walking to his car, he was approached by Palumbo in an alleyway.   Palumbo was reportedly armed with a stick about the size of a small baseball bat, and attacked the clerk.  The man was struck about the arms, before the suspect dropped the stick and tackled the victim.  Bystanders separated the two men.   A few minutes later, Palumbo armed himself with a screwdriver and threatened the victim.  The two men began fighting again, and were once again separated by bystanders after a two or three minute struggle.

Police officers soon arrived on the scene.  After interviewing witnesses and the victim, they placed Palumbo under arrest for assault with a deadly weapon and making criminal threats. He was booked into the Burbank Jail, with bail set at $30,000. The unidentified victim sustained abrasions to his knees and bruising on his arms.