Man assaulted in pizza place parking lot

NATIONAL CITY (CNS) – National City police sought Wednesday to identify an assailant who attacked an 18-year-old man with a rock and small tire iron in the parking lot of a pizza restaurant that caters to families with young children.

The assault in the parking lot of Chuck E. Cheese in the 900 block of East Plaza Boulevard was reported at 11:05 p.m. Tuesday, according to National City police Sgt. Alex Hernandez.

The victim, whose name was withheld, was walking through the parking lot when he was confronted by three males in a small SUV, the sergeant said.

One of the occupants of the SUV got out and threw a rock at the victim's chest, then took out a tire iron and struck him on the top of his head, Hernandez said.

The victim, who sustained a large cut to the top of his head and bruises on his upper body, returned to his home in National City and called for help, according to Hernandez, who said paramedics took the man to a hospital to be checked out.

Officers later found a blood trail and a tire iron in the parking lot where the assault took place, and recovered surveillance video from the business that captured the assault, Hernandez said.