78-Year-Old Costco Shopper Punched In Face Over Nutella Waffle Sample Recounts Ordeal

BURBANK (CBSLA.com) — A 78-year-old man spoke exclusively to CBS2 Tuesday night days after he was punched in the face while shopping at a Costco store in Burbank.

Sahak Sahakian says the situation unfolded after he told a 24-year-old man that he took too many Nutella waffles from the sample cart as Sahakian reached for the last one.

"He takes two, three of them, left one," said Sahakian, who has a big cut and swelling around his left eye.

"I want to take that one and he catch my hand. I say, 'What are you doing? Let me eat this one.' He hit me and the blood started," he explained.

Sahakian says he was in shock as he started to bleed.

"Maybe 10 minutes or whatever. I was like that … dizzy," he said.

As witnesses tried to help, security caught the suspect who allegedly tried to run away.

Police arrested 24-year-old Derrick Gharabighi of Burbank, who has since been charged with felony elder abuse. He has pleaded not guilty.

When asked what he hopes will happen to the suspect, Sahakian said: "I don't want nothing to happen, but only the government or police have to teach him that this is bad."

According to court documents, Gharabighi has a history of criminal convictions, including trespassing, petty theft and drug possession for sale.

If convicted, he faces up to 11 years in prison, the District Attorney's Office said.