SAN DIEGO — WARNING: This story contains video containing expletives and scenes of violence that may be disturbing to some viewers.
La Mesa business owner Peter Carzis, who was captured on video in a physical altercation with members of the San Diego media, as well as committing an alleged lewd act with a woman on the sidewalk outside his clothing store, was charged Thursday with felony vandalism and misdemeanor counts of battery and committing a lewd act in public.
Carzis, 76, the owner of Peter's Men's Apparel on La Mesa Boulevard, is slated to be arraigned on Feb. 24 for allegedly attacking news reporters and photographers who were attempting to interview him outside his business regarding other alleged crimes.
The news crews gathered in front of the business Monday regarding a video posted on the "La Mesa Happenings" Facebook page.
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The video appeared to show a man, alleged to be Carzis, with his hands up a woman's shirt outside the store. Carzis also allegedly spit at a man outside the business on Saturday afternoon, La Mesa police Lt. Greg Runge said.
On Sunday night, the La Mesa Police Department said in a Twitter post that the department was "aware of the video posted on the La Mesa Happenings group and will be following up with any potential victims."
When reporters from several media outlets attempted to interview Carzis on Monday, videos shot by local news outlets showed him cursing at reporters, shoving a cameraman and slapping a phone out of a reporter's hand before walking back into his store. No injuries were reported, but Carzis allegedly caused "irreparable damage" to the videographer's camera, valued at about $7,000, Runge said.
Police responded to the scene, but Carzis had fled, Runge said. He was arrested Tuesday morning in San Diego, but has since been released from custody.
According to court documents, this was not Peter Carzis’ first encounter with the law and he has been accused of having violent confrontations with people in the past.
In 2013, his former next-door neighbor filed a restraining order against him accusing him of smearing dog feces on her garage and yelling obscenities and calling her names. She spoke to News 8 about her experience with Carzis on Tuesday but said she did not want to be on camera and said she is still shaken and scared.
In 2015, a tenant of Carzis, Richard Rogers, also filed a restraining order against him saying he threatened the man with physical harm. Rogers said he had to move out for his safety.
Records also show that Carzis had a misdemeanor DUI in 2013 that he plead guilty to.
If anyone has information related to any of these incidents or would like to report an additional crime, they are asked to call the La Mesa Police Department at 619-667-1400 or the Crime Stoppers’ anonymous toll-free tip line (888) 580-TIPS.
