Sunny Isles Beach commission candidate accused of slapping teen, putting another in chokehold
MIAMI - A man running for a seat on the Sunny Isles Beach commission was arrested Sunday after he reportedly assaulted two teens in a Cuban restaurant.
During a political event he hosted at the El Tropical on Collins Avenue, George Bardmesser was seated at a table with his constituents when he got into an argument with several "opposition leaders" seated at a table next to him, according to the arrest report.
As the argument grew more heated, Bardmesser, 59, put a teen into a choke hold, according to police who reviewed the restaurant's surveillance video.
Several others in the restaurant then intervened, separating Bardmesser from the teen.
Bardmesser then got into a shoving match and hit another teen in the face, according to the surveillance video.
Several people in the restaurant then flagged down a police officer on patrol. In a cellphone video, those in the restaurant can be heard accusing Bardmesser of hitting a child.
Bardmesser was then arrested and taken into custody. He's been charged with two counts of child abuse with no great bodily harm.