Lathrop Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying three men believed to have been responsible for the violent beating of a man outside of a local bar over the weekend.
Shortly after 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 3, Lathrop Police deputies responded to a call of a “man down” in front of the Fireside Inn – located at 854 Lathrop Road – and arrived to find a man with lacerations on his head. The victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at San Joaquin General Hospital and later released.
The three suspects are described as white or possibly Hispanic males – the first being rough 5- foot-10 and 150 pounds wearing a red sweatshirt and grey pants, the second wearing a red sweater and dark pants, and the third being 5-foot-8 and 250 pounds and wearing a black t-shirt and jeans – that managed to flee the scene before officers arrived.
The bar was the scene for a death less than two years ago when an off-duty bartender, Robert Crabtree, was killed after he was struck by patron Michael West and knocked to the ground, striking his head on the pavement.
West was, according to press reports of the incident at the time, kicked out of the bar prior to the attack, and was jailed on charges of involuntary manslaughter, battery against an emergency person, and assault with a deadly weapon. It was Crabtree that called the police to report the man who was reportedly stealing people’s drinks and taking money that was left for bartenders shortly before being thrown out.
Anybody with any information is urged to call the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department dispatch line at 209.460.4400. Tipsters can reference case no. 19-3048 when leaving information with authorities. Callers can remain anonymous, and those wishing share information via text message can do so anonymously by texting 274637 in the number window before including the letters “SJSO” at the start of the of the message, then a space, and then the information.
To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.
