Bar-owning brothers ring in New Year by brawling

New Year's Eve had been a rare night at The Spot, a dance club on J Street in Marysville: At 2 a.m. — closing time — there had been no incidents requiring police intervention.

The club's owners — Armando and Ricardo Pizano — would soon remedy that.

Just as they were shooing their last patrons out of the bar, the two brothers, Armando, 32, and Ricardo, 34, became embroiled in an argument over money.

The argument became a fist fight when one of the brothers threw money — including a slew of coins — at the other in the parking lot.

A number of bar patrons tried to get involved in the melee but were pulled away by police.

Several minutes, insults, and punches later, Ricardo had a broken arm and Armando had been whacked on the leg with a police baton.

Armando Pizano was arrested, accused of battery on a police officer, and booked into Yuba County Jail. A warrant is expected to be issued for his brother's arrest.

Officials at the State Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will be notified about the incident, Marysville police Sgt. John Osbourn said Monday.

Officer Chris Miller said he's had to break up all kinds of bar fights, but never between bar owners.

"That was a first," he said, shortly after arresting the younger brother.

Miller had been one of several officers who were on hand in case of trouble at the bar's closing.

Police said they received 21 calls for service at The Spot during the month of December. Most of the calls were for public drunkenness or drunk and disorderly patrons.

None were for brawling bar owners.

Miller and Sgt. Bobby Cooper had been at the far end of the club's parking lot Wednesday night helping a patron, who had locked herself out of her car, when the fracas began.

Cooper attempted to break up the fight and subdue Ricardo Pizano. Armando Pizano, then free from the melee, began to hit Cooper from behind. He was eventually pulled off of his brother and subdued by way of Miller's police baton.

An internal inquiry will determine whether police force was warranted, as is standard procedure, said Sgt. Dustin Brown, an investigating officer.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Nancy Pasternack at 749-4712 or at npasternack@appealdemocrat.com