...By Jack Sylva for TDPel Media.
A British man has been arrested over the death of a bouncer at former TOWIE star Elliott Wright’s Spanish restaurant.
Jose Rafael Pisani Pardo, a 55-year-old bodybuilder, personal trainer and bouncer, was admitted to an intensive care unit after suffering severe head injuries as he tried to break up a fight at Olivia’s La Cala restaurant in the resort of La Cala de Mijas near Fuengirola just after midnight on Sunday.
The restaurant had previously been gutted in an arson attack two years ago. The popular restaurant was also targeted by vandals with insulting graffiti overnight, with abuse aimed at the former TOWIE star.
Civil Guard officers confirmed this afternoon that they had arrested a 32-year-old British man in Marbella in connection with the incident.
He had been on the run since the incident. A judge will have to decide whether to remand him in custody or free him on bail pending an ongoing investigation.
Late yesterday, insiders confirmed police were hunting a British man amid unconfirmed reports Venezuelan-born Jose had been pushed or punched and lost his balance as he tried to restore calm.
Father-of-three Mr Wright has closed his restaurant for two days and admitted in a statement released on Olivia’s Instagram site published yesterday: “Our hearts are broken and we have closed the restaurant today and tomorrow out of respect.”
The victim was a proud father to two grown-up children believed to be from a previous relationship. He married a personal trainer and gym instructor in Las Vegas in November last year.
Romina Acuna described her new fitness fanatic husband as the ‘love of my life’ in an emotional social media post after they wed and posed for photos before getting into a white stretch Limousine.
The results of a post-mortem believed to have taken place yesterday have not been revealed and are not expected to be officially made public but instead sent to an investigating judge heading an ongoing judicial probe into Jose’s death.
Local reports say the doorman hit his head on the corner of a table as he tried to intervene in a fracas. But well-placed sources said he hit the back of his head directly on the floor and not a table, saying he went down as he tried to eject one of the unruly customers.
Commentary:
The tragic death of Jose Rafael Pisani Pardo at Olivia’s La Cala restaurant has led to the arrest of a 32-year-old British man who had been on the run since the incident.
The victim, a 55-year-old bouncer, had been trying to break up a fight when he suffered severe head injuries. The popular restaurant, which had previously been gutted in an arson attack, was also targeted by vandals with insulting graffiti overnight, with abuse aimed at former TOWIE star Elliott Wright.
The investigation is ongoing, and a judge will have to decide whether to remand the suspect in custody or free him on bail. Mr Wright has closed his restaurant out of respect for the victim and to support his staff and the family.
The victim’s wife, Romina Acuna, described him as the ‘love of my life’ and mourned his death on social media.
