As of this morning, just shy of $4,500 had been raised toward a $250,000 crowd-funding goal for the medical and rehabilitation expenses of a restaurant manager who was severally beaten by two men who reportedly demanded free pizza early Saturday.

Garret Peterson, the 33-year-old manager at Thunder Burgrz & Pizza, 126 Main St., Huntington Beach, was still in a medically induced coma at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach at last word. Click here if you can contribute to the GoFundMe.com campaign on his behalf.

Peterson had apparently refused to give free pie to two men before he went outside to take a break around 1 a.m. and was beaten into unconsciousness in the 300 block of Pacific Coast Highway, according to police.

A security guard who works nearby saw Peterson lying on the ground, rushed over to help and spotted who he believed to be one of the attackers, who the guard grabbed.

Officers from the Huntington Beach Police Department responded to the scene and arrested Bryce Anthony Mezich, 21, and Austin Wright Callan, 22, both of Anaheim.

Mezich was booked on felony assault with serious bodily injury and misdemeanor fighting in public, with the latter count also now being faced by Callan. But the investigation continues and anyone with information is asked to call HBPD at 714.536.5951.