Man arrested after fight outside Brussels Bistro

Laguna Beach police last week arrested a Long Beach man suspected of beating and severely injuring a man outside Brussels Bistro.

Waref Riad Assaf, 37, was taken into custody Nov. 26 by detectives investigating the fight, which took place around 1 a.m. Nov. 15, police said.

The injured 36-year-old from New Jersey was in Orange County for work. He was found by police in the middle of Forest Avenue near the restaurant and nightclub, having suffered major head injuries, police said. Witnesses said he had been punched in the face and hit his head on the ground, according to Capt. Jason Kravetz.

“It isn’t known whether the punch or the fall caused most of his injuries,” Kravetz said. “The attack by the suspect appears to have been unprovoked, but detectives are still looking into the matter.”

The injured man was taken to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo. Police are not releasing his identity.

The Orange County district attorney’s office is reviewing the case.

—Bryce Alderton

Twitter: @AldertonBryce