Man who punched 71-year-old Huntington Beach liquor store clerk sentenced to 2 years in state prison

A man who repeatedly punched a 71-year-old clerk at Huntington Beach liquor store last month has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to two years in state prison.

Ralph Stanford Davis III, 51, admitted Tuesday he was guilty of two felonies of inflicting injury on an elder adult and violation of civil rights causing violent injury. He also admitted to a felony hate crime enhancement, court records show, as well as to a misdemeanor charge of unlawful tampering with a vehicle.

Prosecutors initially pushed for a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison, but Orange County Dist. Atty. public information officer Kimberly Edds said Davis accepted a court offer of two years.

Orange County prosecutors said that on Dec. 12 the Garden Grove resident made derogatory statements about the clerk’s nationality before punching him in the face as the clerk tried to close the store’s security gate.

After leaving the liquor store, Davis spit at and punched the vehicle of another customer outside the store, according to prosecutors.

Davis’ attorney, Michael Marley, could not immediately be reached for comment.

A hearing for firearms relinquishment is scheduled Feb. 8.

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