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Drunk ex-convict allegedly punches poker customer
An intoxicated man allegedly bothered and punched a male customer who refused to give him $5 at a poker arcade along Beach Road near Quartermaster on Sunday midnight.
Jesse Joseph Saralu, 35, left the establishment aboard a Mazda 3 car after the incident but police later arrested him at XO Poker.
The victim, Joshua V. Muña, sustained a cut underneath his left eye. Medics responded and treated him, police said.
At a hearing on Tuesday, Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio set a $5,000 cash bail and appointed the Office of the Public Defender as counsel for Saralu.
Preliminary hearing will be on Dec. 18 at 9am.
Police detective Francisco Romeo O. Iginoef stated in his report that two police officers responded to Star Poker near Quartermaster on Sunday at 12:13am in response to a report of a disturbance.
When the officers arrived at Star Poker, they met the injured Muña, who told them that Saralu punched him and then left the place.
A police officer arrested Saralu at the XO Poker at 1:20am that same day.
Iginoef said that, according to Muña, he and his girlfriend were on their way home and had stopped by Star Poker as his girlfriend needed to use the restroom. As his girlfriend was using the restroom, Muña said he tried to play poker with his $5.
Saralu then came, asked Muna to give him $5 and asked him who the girl with him was. Saralu told Muña to give his girlfriend to him while he was playing poker.
As the two argued, Muña told Saralu to move away because he was disturbing him. Saralu, who smelled of alcohol, put his face between the machine monitor. As the two argued, the girlfriend came out of the restroom and asked what was happening.
Saralu then allegedly punched Muna in the left eye. He allegedly tried to punch Muña again but missed.
Saralu then got into his car and left.
The defendant has prior convictions for theft, assault and battery, and other offenses, police said.
