North Ga. restaurant owner attacks customer with patio umbrella during dispute, deputies say

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — A restaurant owner is behind bars after officials say he attacked a customer with a patio umbrella.

Flowery Branch police said on Sept. 25, officers received reports of a fight that had happened the night before at the Branch House Tavern on McEver Road.

According to the investigation, on Sept. 24, Branch House Tavern hosted a micro wrestling event open to the public.

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During the event, police said one of the customers directed a racial slur at one of the micro-wrestling event participants. Staff then confronted him, and a second man tried to intervene.

Police have identified neither man.

After being escorted out of the business by the business owner, Majed Mohammad Alboumeh, one of his employees, Berhanemeskel Sium, and several other employees exited the business and separated the men from another customer who confronted them.

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Authorities said that the intoxicated customer asked to leave during the separation and began verbally insulting Alboumeh.

Surveillance video revealed Alboumeh fighting his way past several employees who tried to restrain him before he punched one of the men and kicked the other. Authorities said he then picked up a patio table umbrella and hit one of the men.

During the fight, officials said Sium was seen hitting one of the men on the head, leaving a visible injury.

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Alboumeh was arrested on Oct. 11 and charged with simple battery.

Sium was also arrested on Oct. 11 and charged with battery.

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