An exasperated California restaurant owner expresses his frustration to the police after a Los Angeles County health inspector fined him for not following coronavirus protocols.
Carlos Roman, who owns Bread & Barley in Covina, reached his breaking point when a health inspector visited his establishment and fined him shortly after.
Roman got reportedly cited because customers were seen eating on a bench outside his restaurant, which he insisted was on public property and not within his responsibility. The restaurant received two $500 fines for failure to comply and interfering with a health inspector.
“[The health inspector] decided to come today and take pictures of people outside, and saying that he’s going to fine us and we can’t work out here,” Roman told police.
“If I can’t work, he can’t work,” Roman added, who blocked the health inspector’s car with his truck.
“This is what happens when people get desperate. I’m desperate. Who’s going to pay [my employee’s] parking? Who’s going to pay my cook’s rent?” Roman asked.
“[The health inspector] needs to know how hard it is.”
After a while, police eventually convinced Roman to move his truck so that the health inspector could leave, advising him to take up his concerns with the health inspector’s supervisors.
However, Roman explained how he had already done that, and it made no difference.
A GoFundMe page has since been established for Roman’s restaurant.