On Dec. 9 at approximately 6:45 a.m., Santa Monica police officers were dispatched to McDonald's located on the 2800 block of Lincoln Boulevard in response to an assault and battery call.
Upon arriving, officers spoke with the victim who stated the following: He had his dog with him when his bike fell on the dog. The suspect, later identified as Joseph Sweigart, 26, of Santa Monica, approached the victim and began to yell at him for the treating the dog badly.
Sweigart then proceeded to push the victim on the ground and began to beat him up. Multiple witnesses attempted to stop the fight but were unable to do so.
Multiple witnesses corroborated the story told by the victim. Officers patrolling the area later found the suspect walking down the street. Sweigart was arrested for assault and battery. Bail was set at $20,000.
