Customers Complain That Brothers Dispense Violence With Fuel : D.A. Alleges Assaults at Gas Station

Samir and Raed Rabadi, brothers who operate a Shell service station in Panorama City, have given a whole new meaning to the phrase “customer relations,” according to authorities.

The Los Angeles district attorney’s office alleges that, along with pumping gas, cleaning windows and checking the oil, the brothers have racked up a lengthy record of beating customers with clubs and smashing windshields with tire irons.

Samir, 36, has been charged with four counts of assault with a deadly weapon, whereas Raed, 29, faces one count on the same charge. Juan Jimenez, 31, a mechanic who works at the station, also has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon. The brothers, both Jordanian nationals living in Panorama City, are free on $2,000 bail and are scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing Oct. 7.

Raed’s attorney, Maria Garcia, said her client is the victim of “a pack of lies” and that “there are always two sides to a story, but we won’t say anything about the case at this time, period.”

Samir’s attorney, Laurence Sataloff, said the brothers have done nothing wrong and that the charges are the result of “belligerent” customers who provoked Samir and Raed. “These things were customer-owner disputes and the customers attacked them first. We’ll just leave it at that for the time being.”

But Deputy Dist. Atty. Ed Consiglio said that, for months, the two brothers and the mechanic “have been hitting customers, spitting on customers and stealing and smashing out customers’ windows.”

Complaints Spark Inquiry

Los Angeles Police Detective Jim Leahy said investigators began working on the case in July after receiving many complaints from customers who claimed they were treated with service that was “not exactly in line with the usual way of doing business.”

On July 28, Celio Ortiz Colin of Van Nuys pulled into the station at 9070 Van Nuys Blvd. and put $4 worth of gas into his car, police said. Raed approached him and demanded $5, and when Colin refused to pay the extra dollar, Raed punched him in the face, then shattered the windshield of his car with a tire iron, police said.

Raymond Washington of Pacoima told police he went to the station July 26, stopping at a pump that already had $2 registered on it, apparently from a previous customer.

Samir Rabadi demanded the $2 while Washington tried to explain that he wanted $10 worth of gas and was not responsible for the $2 already charged, police said. The two began arguing, but when Washington got back into his car to take his business elsewhere, Samir hit him in the shoulder with a crowbar, police said.

Then, on Aug. 2, Bruce Hurdle of Panorama City returned to the gas station because he wasn’t satisfied with the way his car had been tuned a few days earlier by Jimenez, police said.

‘Told Me to Get Out’

“I went to the gas station to complain about the way my car was running,” Hurdle told police. “They told me to get out or they would take care of me. I told them that I wasn’t afraid of them.”

Samir retreated into the station and returned with an ax handle, police said. The brothers and Jimenez surrounded Hurdle and Raed threw a punch at him, which Hurdle deflected, Leahy said. Samir then hit Hurdle in the shoulder with the club, police said.

“He tried to hit me in the head, but I ducked and got hit in the arm,” Hurdle told police. “I finally got away from those guys and left.”

Five days later, detectives went to the station, where they found several clubs stacked in a corner and a loaded gun in Samir Rabadi’s car, Leahy said. The brothers and the mechanic were arrested at the scene. Leahy said police have witnesses to all the attacks.

The gun found at the station was used in an incident involving Samir Rabadi on July 12, Leahy said. Teresa Feliciano of Panorama City was driving down Van Nuys Boulevard near the gas station but evidently was not driving fast enough for Samir, who was behind her in his car, Leahy said.

Samir cut her off and Feliciano came to a stop, Leahy said. Samir then got out of his car and started swinging at her with a club, but Feliciano managed to back up and pull her car into traffic, Leahy said. Samir pursued her in his car and cut her off again, at which time he pointed the gun at her but did not shoot, police said.

Jim Malloy, territory manager for Shell, said the brothers have been operating the station for about 14 months and that he has received complaints about their behavior.

Malloy said Shell officials will wait for a judgment on the case before deciding whether to let the Rabadi brothers continue operating the station.