Police: Ann Arbor bar employee puts chokehold on woman
A 28-year-old Ann Arbor woman told police an employee of a Main Street bar put her in a chokehold before pushing her toward an exit early Sunday morning.
Ann Arbor police Lt. Renee Bush said the woman arrived at the bar in the 300 block of South Main St. with a friend and both of them placed their jackets on chairs at a table where their friends were sitting. The woman and her friend then left the table and were socializing in the bar, Bush said.
At about 2 a.m. Sunday, they returned to the table and discovered their coats were no longer on the chair, Bush said. The woman approached an employee at the bar to notify him or her that the coats were gone, Bush said.
As the woman was speaking with the employee, another employee joined the conversation and began questioning the woman about the coats, Bush said. The second employee moved close to the woman and was pointing at her with his finger in her face, Bush said.
The woman was using her hands to gesture and point out where the coats were when the man suddenly grabbed her and placed his right forearm around her neck, Bush said. The woman was taken aback and bit down on the man’s arm in order to get him to release her, Bush said.
The man released her, pushed her toward the stairs that led to the bar’s exit and told her to leave, Bush said.
The jackets were not found, and there were no visible injuries on the woman, Bush said. Although she can identify the man, the woman has decided not to pursue prosecution against him, Bush said.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Joe_Citizen
Sat, Feb 25, 2012 : 5:56 p.m.
What is the caption saying, shouldn't it be allegedly? It should be deleted, because it is a condemnation.
Bertha Venation
Thu, Feb 23, 2012 : 9:53 p.m.
Gee, you don't think they were drinking, do you?
ArgoC
Thu, Feb 23, 2012 : 4:45 p.m.
It's odd that the headline highlights "chokehold." Is that an illegal action? Was it excessive use of force? There are chokeholds and then there are Chokeholds - it can be a safe maneuver. I think the headline writer wanted to get clicks on this story and put a little more spin on it than needed. Sounds like just another Saturday night drunk getting hysterical over something that was her fault. Don't leave your coat on a chair in a crowded bar! What did you expect?
Michigan Man
Thu, Feb 23, 2012 : 2:38 p.m.
Lee - Like the feel of your comments. I am a peaceful, non-drinking elderly man who likes calm, poise and polish in upscale eateries. Drunk college age women do not excite me as I think they are rather sloppy. Hope you are on board when I eat in your establishment. Hope things work out well for you.
Lee Trombley
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 6:44 p.m.
I would like to take a second to apologize for any confusion...... I AM a employee at the establishment, and my position is door host / security. I didn't feel the need to state that being that the article stated that I was an employee. Also, the only reason I pointed anything out about myself personally was to give a picture of the type of person I am. Many people who work in the bar scene party all the time and live very different lifestyles then what I do, and I didn't want anyone thinking that I was that type of person. I was not, and have never drank while working my job. I simply was trying to state that I'm not even the type of person that you would find inside of a bar unless i was working. I'm only there for extra money to help support my family. Again, I apologize for any confusion with my original post.
LDR
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 5:34 p.m.
So. The headline says "employee". But Mr. Trombly does not state in his letter that he was an employee. He wrote his letter as a person, not an employee. Hence, there is definately something strange going on here. If he acted primarily as an employee, there would be no need to write a letter -- he would have been just doing his job. If he acted as a private person, as his letter indicates, than his actionss were inappropriate.
actionjackson
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 5:29 p.m.
"Drunks do the darkest things" I used to frequent bars and stay until last call frequently. That was many years ago however the overly intoxicated patrons with a gripe have not changed. First of all the "customer" is responsible for their own belongings in a public area. I was glad to hear the reply from Lee Trombley. I don't envy his position in this and if anyone should be pressing charges it would be him for a vicious biting that he received. That is animalistic behavior.
LDR
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 5:28 p.m.
I find Mr. Trombly's comments extremely disturbing...he is not, and was not, an employee of the establishment. It was NOT his job to "escort" the drunk person out. I'm not excusing the overly drunk person, however, I also do not think that Mr. Trombly had any right to touch her. So, why is he at a bar until closing time, having only 2 beers, to watch for overly drunk women? I'd be creeped out, too, and would have tried to fight him off. Even if I'd had more than a bit to drink. There certainly is more to this story than meets the eye.
Lee Trombley
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 6:40 p.m.
I apologize for any confusion...... I am a employee at the establishment, and my position is door host / security. I didn't feel the need to state that being that the article stated that I was an employee. Also, the only reason I pointed anything out about myself personally was to give a picture of the type of person I am. Many people who work in the bar scene party all the time and live very different lifestyles then what I do, and I didn't want anyone thinking that I was that type of person. I was not, and have never drank while working my job. I simply was trying to state that I'm not even the type of person that you would find inside of a bar unless i was working. Again, I apologize for any confusion and most definitely didn't mean to say anything that would make anyone disturbed. I simply work security on weekend nights for extra money to help supportf my family.
Joe_Citizen
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 8:45 a.m.
He said, she said, is there any witnesses, well except for the best friend. I don't just believe one persons quotation, and I want to hear both sides of the story, before I draw conclusions.
Joe_Citizen
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 8:57 a.m.
So i guess I will believe the sober guy who said she was acting a fool.
Lee Trombley
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 2:27 a.m.
I am the man who allegedly assaulted this woman. First, I am just shy of being 31 years old, I'm married and been with the same woman for almost 11 years, I have one son, and another on the way. I'm simply saying these things so you have a basic understanding of what type of person I am. I would also like to point out that fact that I never drink more then 2 beers when I do actually take the time to drink. This customers coat seemed to have been accidentally taken by another customer while everyone was leaving. She was being very rude and yelling at the people trying to clean up the bar about her coat and I came over to see if I was able to calm her down and find out what the problem was. After being screamed at and told that "she was the customer" and that "she was spending money here" and that her coat "didn't just leave on it's own" I told her that her and her (extremely intoxicated) friends that they needed to leave. She proceeded to get in my face pointing her finger in my face and screaming at me about me having no right to tell her what to do and pointing out once again how "she was the customer." I eventually grabbed her wrist to remove her finger from my face, at which time she tried to kick me in the crotch. I grabbed her leg to avoid the attack and then spun her around and wrapped her up to escort her to the door. She proceeded to claw chunks out of my left arm with her nails and bite me hard enough on my right arm to completely break skin. I then placed my forearm under her throat so would stop biting me and removed her from the premises. While leaving, she took it upon herself to continue to scream and yell and even threw her food she had in a take home box all over the wall and some landed on another customer who was leaving the establishment. That is the other side of the story that this "reporter" never took the time to question about before going out of his way to make myself or the establishment look b
Michael Christie
Thu, Feb 23, 2012 : 12:21 a.m.
Good for you! It's nice to get both sides of a story and I know no bar on Main Street would just put a woman in a choke hold for no reason. Sounds like she needed a muzzel as well.
Jimmy McNulty
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 1:45 p.m.
Lee, good story. I could tell from reading the story that there was more to it, with the alleged rudeness of the customer being some key missing info. I know you're passionate about getting your side of the story out there. I'm not a lawyer, but my advice would be to be careful about what you put online for your own protection. Just saying. Good luck.
Paul Epstein
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 11:49 a.m.
Your side of the story sounds very plausible and believable and I thank you for presenting it. I can pretty much see that transpiring. However, rest assured there is no need to present oneself as morally pure and upstanding in order to elicit support for a position. If you were like me---perennially solitary, disgruntled and skeptical of authority, but still treated people with appropriate respect and dignity, I'd bet your side would still sound more congruent with reality.
Joe_Citizen
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 8:51 a.m.
it's not that easy, and the management does not read how alcohol effects each indivisuals loonisy
kindred spirit
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 5:56 a.m.
So, if the woman and her (extremely) intoxicated friends were (extremely) intoxicated, why didn't the employees cut them off long before they got (extremely) intoxicated? Why don't the police go look into that aspect?
SMC
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 4:57 a.m.
The time that the incident occurred is a dead giveaway to the woman's level of sobriety. Sober people never stay till closing time.
The Picker
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 12:13 a.m.
This women should be immediately arrested for assault.
Lee Trombley
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 6:51 p.m.
The woman bit me before I ever put her in any sort of chokehold. If I had her in a chokehold as she claims I did, she would have never been able to bite me since my forearm would be placed under her chin and across her throat.......think about that for a second. It simply isn't possible to bite someone if you were in a chokehold.
grimmk
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 5:05 a.m.
Why? She was defending herself. Have you ever been put in a chokehold? It's scary! Trying to get out of it by forcing yourself out can lead to serious injury. She probably did her first gut reaction. If she had just bit the man without provocation then I'd say she could be arrested for assault. But the man put her in the chokehold fist. THAT is assault.
Stupid Hick
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 2:55 a.m.
Too late for a breathalyser but I bet it would have indicated she had at least a few shots.
The Picker
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 12:38 a.m.
At the very least her papers should be checked to see that she's had her shots
Craig Lounsbury
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 8:48 p.m.
Its been many many years since I "closed a bar" but in my hazy memory folks still in a bar when the lights go up are often lacking in sound judgement at that point in time. At least that's how I remember it "back in the good old days".
justcurious
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 8:21 p.m.
I think we can all imagine a scene like this. The fact that no charges are being pressed is telling. I think we are all learning that we need to keep an eye on our belongings while in public, because you really can't trust that they will remain where you put them.
cinnabar7071
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 8:15 p.m.
I would love to hear the other side of the story.
The Picker
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 12:09 a.m.
Typical lazy reporting often found on these pages.
leezee
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 7:58 p.m.
There's definitely more to this story.
Mike
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 7:54 p.m.
I'm sure she was acting very politely and did not deserve to be escorted out of the bar...........it was very kind of her not to press charges after biting him.............
smokeblwr
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 7:46 p.m.
I've worked in bars for a long time and seen many a closing time. Incidents like this happen a lot and 100% of the time I've seen them it is always the drunk customer who gets offended about something and things escalate.
treetowncartel
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 7:40 p.m.
I wonder what time she arrived.