Customer beats up Tri-Cities mechanic after refusing to pay, say police

A 20-year-old man is in jail after he refused to pay for work on his car and then beat up the shop owner when his keys weren’t returned.

Luisantos Mondragon-Bustos started arguing with employees just before 1:15 p.m. Tuesday at the USA Brake and Auto Repair shop on West Clearwater Ave., Kennewick police said.

He had recently had work done to his vehicle but wouldn’t pay for it.

The owner asked him to leave, but Mondragon-Bustos refused. When the owner tried to force him out of the shop, Mondragon-Bustos punched him, police said.

He left but then went back inside, forced his way past the owner and grabbed his keys, according to police. Then he drove his car away, crashing into another customer’s car parked at the business.

The mechanic was treated at a local hospital for his injuries.

Police later found and arrested Mondragon-Bustos on the 1100 block of West 10th Avenue. He was booked into the Benton County jail on suspicion of first-degree burglary, second-degree assault and hit and run.