5 arrested in melee at area eatery
Argument over crying baby sparks Mother's Day brawl
By CLYDE HUGHES
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Thelma Oliver said she thought it was a good idea to take her mother, Linda Oliver, out for Mother's Day yesterday with her father, Clarence.
The Oliver family, though, found themselves fending off punches and thrown tables and chairs at the Golden Corral restaurant, 5730 Opportunity Dr., yesterday afternoon, which could go down as The Great Toledo Mother's Day Brawl.
About 10 Toledo Police units responded to the melee with an estimated 15 people involved inside the restaurant. Five people were arrested and six people were hurt, including four who were taken to hospitals for minor injuries.
"I couldn't believe it,"? Thelma Oliver said. "This is supposed to be Mother's Day. It's just a crying shame."?
The incident started shortly before 3:30 p.m. in the crowded, buffet-style restaurant near Alexis Road and Lewis Avenue. Sgt. Lee Kikolski said it appeared that two women in the restaurant had words over a child, which ignited the fight.
The sergeant said witnesses told him Christine Lewandowski, 56, repeatedly asked Sylvia Harris, 24, of Toledo to quiet her 1-year-old child, who was sitting in a high chair and screaming.
When the infant continued to scream, Ms. Lewandowski shouted at the baby to "shut up,"? Sergeant Kikolski said.
That's when Ms. Harris lunged at Ms. Lewandowski and began punching the woman, the sergeant said.
Other people joined in the fight, which lasted "maybe 10 minutes,"? Sergeant Kikolski said.
"It was a big exchange,"? Sergeant Kikolski. "It seemed like everyone wanted to get their licks in, or it could have possibly been they were trying to break up the fight."?
Chairs and tables were thrown as the fight participants quickly grew out of control and restaurant managers called police.
The restaurant was eventually shut down for nearly two hours, and about 100 customers were forced to leave, police said.
According to the Lucas County jail, Ms. Harris was arrested for assault, rioting, and inducing panic, all misdemeanors. She was booked and released at the jail yesterday.
Also booked and released in connection with the brawl were Stephen Robinson, 21; Christy Robb, 37; Henry Vernon, 45; and Jason Korb, 36, all of Toledo, for misdemeanor assault and rioting.
All are scheduled to appear in Toledo Municipal Court today on the misdemeanor charges.
Linda and Clarence Oliver, both 41, went to the emergency rooms at the University of Toledo Medical Center. Also taken to an unspecified hospital were Ms. Lewandowski and her 90-year-old mother, Sophia Lewandowski, police said.
Ms. Oliver said her family was sitting near where the fight started. She said she was pushed back to the floor and a table was thrown on top of her.
Laura Walker, another customer who was celebrating Mother's Day with her family, said the fighting frightened her and all she wanted to do was leave.
"At that point [during the fighting], you don't know if they had a gun or a knife or whatever,"? Ms. Walker said.
Customers left the restaurant with take-out boxes as they briskly walked to their vehicles, some shaking their heads in disbelief about the Mother's Day fight.
Tony Puckett, the general manager at Golden Corral, declined to comment on the incident.
The restaurant reopened after 5 p.m. Police continued to investigate the incident last night.
Staff writer David Yonke contributed to this report.
Contact Clyde Hughes at:[email protected] 419-724-6095.
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs...EWS03/70514002
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