Ex 49er got into sandwich fight before arrest

A booking photo provided by the San Francisco Police Department shows San Francisco 49ers fullback Bruce Miller. The 49ers released Miller on Monday, just hours after he was arrested for assaulting two men. Miller was charged with aggravated assault, elder abuse, threats and battery after an early-morning fight at a San Francisco hotel, according to the San Francisco Police Department. Miller was booked into county jail.

less A booking photo provided by the San Francisco Police Department shows San Francisco 49ers fullback Bruce Miller. The 49ers released Miller on Monday, just hours after he was arrested for assaulting two men. ... more Photo: Associated Press Photo: Associated Press Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Ex 49er got into sandwich fight before arrest 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

A few hours before former 49er tight end Bruce Miller was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault, he was thrown out of Tommy’s Joynt after getting in a fight over a sandwich, a manager at the historic restaurant said Tuesday.

Miller was booked on aggravated assault and elder abuse charges early Monday stemming from a violent encounter with a 70-year-old man and his son at the Marriott Hotel in Fisherman’s Wharf. Later that afternoon, the 49ers released Miller from the team.

Around midnight Monday, three hours before his arrest, Miller wandered into the colorful building that houses Tommy’s Joynt at 1101 Geary Blvd. and took a seat at a table near the front, restaurant manager Eddie Martin said.

Miller stared at the buffet line for about 20 minutes, then approached the queue and started arguing with guests over a sandwich, Martin said. No one was hurt, and staff quickly escorted Miller out.

“I believe he wanted their sandwiches,” said Martin, who guessed Miller wanted their popular brisket sandwich. “The guests were great. They were very calm and amused by the situation.”

Martin said Miller was wearing the same clothing he was arrested in hours later, but he did not have any scratches or other signs of a fight on him. Martin said it wasn’t clear if Miller seemed under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Miller apparently ended his night at the Marriott Hotel at Columbus Avenue and Bay Street, where police responded to reports of an intoxicated man who tried to enter the wrong room.

A 70-year-old man had answered the hotel room door. His 29-year-old son, who was staying in the next room, heard an argument and told Miller he was mistaken. Miller attacked the son, police said, and the 70-year-old came to his son’s aid. Both were taken to a hospital for treatment.

Miller’s case has not yet been presented to the district attorney’s office. He was out of custody on $178,000 bail.

Chronicle staff writers Peter Hockaday and Eric Branch contributed to this report.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno