Police respond to 3 fights

Costa Mesa police officers had their hands full for a few hours Friday night and early Saturday as three fights broke out across the city. Several arrests were made in connection with the altercations.

The first fight occurred around 11:30 p.m. Friday when Costa Mesa resident Pedro Mendoza, 26, allegedly got into a fight with another patron at Garibaldi De Noche, and was promptly ejected from the bar at 810 W. 19th St., police said.

Mendoza returned shortly after that and was noticed loitering near the business’ back door, where security guards found him with a knife and tried to disarm him, police said.

“He actually took a couple of swipes at a security guard with the knife before they were able to subdue him,” Lt. Dale Birney said.

Mendoza was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and has been placed on an immigration hold at Costa Mesa Jail, Birney said.

At about 1:50 a.m. Saturday, a group brawl took place adjacent to Chronic Cantina at Triangle Square.

Police were responding to a report of assault and battery outside the eatery when another fight broke out nearby, this one larger than the first, police said.

“When we [got] there everyone starts running in 50,000 different directions,” Birney said, adding that the crowds are large there on Friday evenings.

The assaulted victim refused to file a report with police.

Just minutes later, another fight erupted at a Del Taco on 17th Street and Newport Boulevard between three men. A police helicopter initially saw a man on the ground in the parking lot, where officers found him unconscious and bleeding, Birney said. The man was taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian; police had no further information on his condition.

The helicopter led police to a vehicle carrying Aaron Hines, 26, of Fontana and Kaliph Chenevert, 27, of Palm Springs. The men were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and rendering a victim unconscious, police said.

Both men were being held at Costa Mesa Jail on $25,000 bail.

Police do not suspect any of the incidents are related.

“There is no suspicion that the fights were connected, other than the fact it was Friday night,” Birney said.