In several incidents across the country, employees were attacked by customers

Los Angeles, CA (WorkersCompensation.com) – A Los Angeles restaurant worker was attacked this week when a customer said his food was taking too long to arrive.

Kevin Oxlaj, a waiter and host at Los Angeles’ Wokcano, an Asian restaurant and bar, said he was standing behind the counter when the customer yelled at the pregnant waitress about his food. Oxlaj spoke for the waitress as the customer walked away.

“I told him, ‘Please don’t yell at my co-worker. She’s pregnant. She can’t go through all this stress, please show some respect,'” Oxlaj told KABC. “We told him we apologize. We told him we’re sorry it took so long.”

Instead, the customer attacked Oxlaj. A video of the incident shows the customer taking off his jacket during the altercation and punching Oxlaj in the jaw. While Oxlaj was able to push the man away, the customer attacked again, landing several more punches before another customer was able to break up the fight.

“I felt the rest of the swings,” Oxlaj told local news outlets. “One customer finally got up from his table, ran out of his seat and was able to push him out, but as he pushed him away from me, the guy still held my arm… wouldn’t let go.”

According to officials, Oxlaj is currently unable to work as he recovers from his injuries.

In Victorville, California, a woman attacked a grocery store employee who accused her of stealing alcohol.

Officials said 25-year-old Ginny Denise Nicholson was arrested after police say she attacked a Hesperia Stater Bros. store.

According to police, Nicholson entered the store on May 15, hid alcohol in a bag and attempted to leave the store without paying.

“A Stater Bros. Markets employee attempted to stop Nicholson as she was leaving the store and Nicholson assaulted the employee,” the agency said in a written statement.

According to police, the employee was taken to hospital with a broken nose and cuts.

Nicholson fled the building but was identified and arrested. Her bail was set at $50,000, court documents say.

In North Highlands, California, a man was stabbed four times while trying to fend off an attack on a grocery store employee.

According to police, a Good Samaritan stepped in to break up a fight between a grocery store employee and another customer. According to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, an employee at the North Highlands grocery store asked the suspect, who is believed to be homeless, to leave the property. The Good Samaritan saw the suspect attack the employee and attempt to pull him to the ground.

The man, who asked not to be identified, said he drove to the scene, got out of his car and told the suspect that police were on the way. The suspect, Aaron Gonzalez, then allegedly took a knife from his car and stabbed him four times.

Gonzalez was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Police said he was arrested and taken into custody a short time later. The employee was not injured.

And in Spokane, a woman was accused of attacking a teenage employee at Plato’s Closet after she allegedly tried to steal hundreds of dollars worth of clothing during a sale.

According to police, one of the women tried to go into a dressing room during the sale and was told she was not allowed to enter the dressing room with accessories. Employees told her they would hold onto the accessories while she tried on the clothes.

When the woman refused, employees insisted, and the woman began yelling at people and then ran for the door. When a teenage employee tried to stop her, she attacked the employee. Surveillance video captured the woman, Chelsie Castagna, attacking the employee.

Other employees said the employee was physically fine but was shaken after the incident.

Castagna was arrested and charged with robbery.

Beth Roman, owner of Plato’s Closet, said nearly $30,000 worth of merchandise was lost to theft at the store.