Restaurateur jailed after dispute with police chief

INVERNESS -- Police chief Joseph Elizarde became involved in an argument with a restaurant owner over a hamburger order, and the restaurant owner was eventually arrested on charges of battery, which he disputes.

According to Judy Ramsey, co-owner of Happy Dayz Diner on U.S. 41 S, the chief placed a phone order for two hamburgers about 11 a.m. Tuesday. Ramsey said that's the time when the restaurant is switching its grill from breakfast to lunch.

"We were still cooking breakfast orders, and you can't cook burgers when you're doing breakfast," she said.

Ramsey said Elizarde called back about 20 minutes later to check on the order, and then started arguing with the waitress over the phone when he was told it wasn't ready. Ramsey then took the phone to speak with Elizarde, she said.

"He just went on and on and finally I told him: "Look, I'm not going to stand here and argue any more with you,' " she said.

Ramsey said Elizarde then came to the restaurant, dressed in a sweat pants outfit, and walked into the kitchen, where he began to talk with Butch Ramsey, her husband.

The conversation eventually led to Butch Ramsey asking him to leave.

"He was very loud and very obnoxious, I couldn't talk to him. Then I finally put my left hand on his shoulder and with my right hand pointed to the door and asked him to leave," Butch Ramsey said.

Butch Ramsey then called 911, and Elizarde stepped to the counter and flashed his badge.

"I told him then that I didn't care who he was and he needed to leave," Ramsey said.

"After you verbally abuse my staff and verbally abuse my wife, I'm going to take exception to that, I don't care who you are."

Two Inverness squad cars arrived and Butch Ramsey said he was asked to go outside, where he was handcuffed and taken to jail on a battery charge. He was released after posting $500 bail.

"The arrest report states that I pushed him and that I even admitted to it, but I did no such thing," Butch Ramsey said.

Attempts to contact the chief or other Inverness police officials were unsuccessful.

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