The man accused of striking a Denny’s employee in the face on Oct. 29 has been arrested on a $100,000 warrant for a felony second-degree assault charge.
The defendant, identified in court documents as Damon Lee Jordan, 38, of Yamhill, Oregon, allegedly struck the employee “after becoming disgruntled that his nachos came out to the table last,” according to documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court and information from the Centralia Police Department.
The victim told responding police officers that he “went to remove the plate and the suspect stood up and sucker punched him in the face,” according to court documents.
The victim sustained a facial fracture from the strike, according to court documents.
Centralia officers were dispatched at approximately 9:45 p.m., but the man left the scene with a woman and a child before officers arrived.
The Centralia Police Department sent out a news release on Nov. 1 with photos obtained via video surveillance of the suspect and the woman who was with him video surveillance and asked for the public’s help identifying them.
Several people sent tips to the police, leading investigators to connect the suspect to an event that occurred the evening of the assault associated with EchoValor MMA in Beaverton, Oregon.
The owner of EchoValor identified the man in the photo from the surveillance footage as Damon Jordan. Officers later learned Jordan is a mixed martial arts fighter.
Officers then tried to contact Jordan, who reportedly answered the phone “said something sarcastic and hung up,” according to court documents.
Since investigators could not discern Jordan’s location, Lewis County Superior Court issued a $100,000 warrant for Jordan’s arrest on Nov. 14.
Jordan was booked into the Lewis County Jail on that warrant at 8 a.m. on Dec. 7, according to jail records. Defense attorney Rachael Tiller told the court Jordan was arrested in Oregon about two weeks prior.
After hearing Tiller’s argument that Jordan had no Washington criminal history and was unaware of the warrant prior to his arrest, Judge James Lawler agreed to lower Jordan’s bail to $50,000 during a preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court.
Jordan’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 15.
