California Bar Manager Dies After Being Punched by Patron Who was Asked to Leave

Leonard Hector Korpie, 26, allegedly delivered a single punch to the manager during a scuffle outside the pub.

A beloved bar manager in Santa Monica, California, died after being punched by a rowdy patron he had asked to leave the pub.

Leonard Hector Korpie, 26, allegedly delivered a single punch to the manager during a scuffle outside Jameson’s Pub around midnight on Tuesday, police reported. The manager, who remains unidentified but was said to be in his early 50s, lost consciousness and was not breathing when police arrived.

Officers attempted CPR until the Santa Monica Fire Department arrived and employed other lifesaving measures. The manager was then rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The incident happened at Jameson’s Pub in Santa Monica at around midnight on Tuesday.

Korpie, along with two other patrons involved in the altercation, was arrested and booked into the Santa Monica Jail. Korpie, from Venice, has been charged with murder and is being held on $2 million bail. The identities and statuses of the other suspects have not been disclosed.

Jameson’s Pub, located about a mile from the historic Santa Monica Pier, is mourning the loss of a respected and beloved member of their team. A spokesperson for the pub told the Sacramento Bee, “We are still in shock at the sudden loss of a person who was a respected and esteemed member of our restaurant’s family. He was well-liked by both customers and staff, and his passing has been deeply felt by all of us.”

The investigation is ongoing as the community grapples with the tragic loss.