Watch CBS News

Intoxicated Security Guard Bloodied In Fight Near Costa Mesa Bar

COSTA MESA (CBSLA) – A brutal altercation that was caught on camera turned frightening when a man wearing a security guard uniform pulled out what appeared to be a gun.

There was plenty of profanity and racial slurs used during the fight behind a Costa Mesa bar that was recorded on a phone and posted to YouTube.

The incident, involving a man in a security guard uniform, happened behind Garf's on Bristol Street during the early morning hours on March 23. A second man, who was wear a white shirt, is seen punching him several times in the face.

At one point, the guard, who police eventually arrested for driving under the influence, pulled out a gun that looked real to bystanders. However, investigators say it was a replica.

The guard has been identified by police as 24-year-old James Nese, who works in south Orange County. The altercation began after Nese sped past a group of men behind the bar, according to police.

"We responded, but both parties had fled the scene before we got there," said Costa Mesa Police Department spokesperson Roxi Fyad. "One block away, we found one of the men – who was wearing the security guard uniform – and found that he was driving under the influence and so we made an arrest on that. We also searched his vehicle and found that replica firearm."

The man in the white shirt has not been identified.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.