Waitress Run Down After Confronting Alleged Dine-And-Dashers; 4 Arrested

ANAHEIM (CNS/FOX 11) - Four people were arrested Monday for an alleged run-in with a waitress who was struck and injured by a car when she confronted them outside an Anaheim-area restaurant for not paying their bill, authorities said.

The hit-and-run occurred at 6:22 p.m. Sunday at the Mexico Lindo restaurant in the 10900 block of Magnolia Street. Four patrons, a man and three women, left without paying, and the 28-year-old waitress ran out to the parking lot to confront them, sheriff's officials said.

As the suspects drove away in a black Volkswagen Jetta, the waitress was struck by the sedan and knocked down, Orange County sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock said.

The waitress, a mother of two whose name was withheld, was taken to an area hospital with what Hallock described as "minor to moderate'' injuries, was expected to be released Monday.

"It wasn't a smart idea for her to go out and confront them,'' said Orange County sheriff's Lt. Lloyd Downing. "That wasn't an accident. They weren't getting away. They wanted her out of the way.''

About 1 this morning, deputies patrolling in the Stanton area saw a black Volkswagen sedan in the parking lot of a Motel 6 in the 7400 block of Katella Avenue, Hallock said.

"It was just great police work, a great observation on their part'' to spot the Jetta, Hallock said.

Deputies talked to the motel manager and the residents connected to the Jetta matched the descriptions of the suspects as provided by the waitress, Hallock said.

Arrested were Rowshaid Cordell Pellum, 24, a Cerritos man who is believed to have been the driver; and three Long Beach women: Markeisha Williams, 18, Shyteice Miles, 19, and Santeea Ralph, 23, Hallock said. Pellum and Miles listed their occupations as student for jail records, while Santeea was listed as unemployed.

All four were booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy and defrauding an innkeeper, and each was held on $25,000 bail, except for Ralph, who was being held on $125,000 bail due to a prior crime in 2010, Hallock said.

All were expected to appear in court on Tuesday in Santa Ana.