Sheriff's Office: Assault Accusations Are For Publicity

Was there a vicious attack or is it a publicity stunt? Leaders of the National Latino Officers Association (NLOA) claim one of their members was assaulted by an off-duty Orange County deputy.

Before a barrage of media, Army veteran Eddie Melendez accused Orange County Sheriff Deputy Edwin Garcia, Jr. of attacking him.

"I got hit with a bottle cracked over my head, the ear, the jaw. I got hit in the neck," Melendez said.

Showing off a cut to his forehead, Melendez claimed the incident happened just before 1:00am last Friday during an event the NLOA had at the Coco Bongo Club. Melendez and a former New York City police officer made serious allegations that go beyond a bar room brawl.

"These individuals came with the intention to create harm and in the end what they did was unprovoked, with his backed turned they planned to assault him," said Anthony Miranda, former NYPD officer.

Email News Sign-Up Multiple Choices - Auto sign-up (LEFT ALIGN) GET WFTV NEWS HEADLINES BY EMAIL 9 a.m. Headlines Noon Headlines 4 p.m. Headlines News of the Strange Breaking News Alerts It was a planned attack, they said, for revenge. According to Melendez and Miranda, Garcia was upset because they had filed complaints against him accusing him of police misconduct, abuse of authority and assault.

The two also claim numerous deputies who responded to the bar that night and the bar manager covered up for the off duty deputy, claims the sheriff's office denied.

"Absolutely not. He was not there," said Deputy Chief Steve Jones.

Regardless, Jones said an internal investigation was underway.

Melendez and Miranda admit that they are looking into a civil suit against the Orange County Sheriff's Office and that is what Orange County thinks this is really all about.

"They wanted the press. That's what this is all about," Jones said.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office said there was surveillance video taken from Coco Bongo. Eyewitness News' calls to the club were not returned.

NLOA said they will take their claims to the Attorney General's Office.