3 arrested after brawl outside Santa Rosa brew pub

Three people were arrested after a large fight broke out Monday afternoon outside the Russian River Brewing Company.

The fight started in the parking lot behind the downtown pub at about 3 p.m., according to Santa Rosa police. When officers arrived at the scene, 15 people were involved in the brawl, including security staff and witnesses who tried to break up the fight, Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Eric Litchfield said.

Robert Hepburn, 33, of Cotati, and Niki Nolen, 33, of Rohnert Park were arrested for public intoxication.

Amanda Meeker, 28, of Rohnert Park, was arrested for public intoxication and obstructing and resisting a police officer. Meeker also vandalized a motorcycle in the parking lot, Litchfield said.

Natalie Cilurzo, who owns the Russian River Brewing Company with her husband, Vinnie, said the group had been drinking in the pub before the fight.

“It was their personal conflict. It had nothing to do with our brewery,” she said.

Her security staff was trying to break up a fight between men in the group but the girls turned on one of her employees and scratched him up, Cilurzo said.

“My security guard got jumped on by all the girls,” she said. “He’s OK, but he’s cut up.”

Mike Fragie, 29, of San Ramon was outside the bar, waiting in line to get a taste of one of the nation’s most coveted beers, Pliny the Younger, when the fight started. He ran over to break up the fight after he saw girls piling on top of one of the security staff.

“They were screaming and scratching,” he said about the women attacking the man.

“It looked bad. At least 10 people were on the guard,” said Fragie, who lost his prescription glasses in the whole ordeal. He said some of the women turned on him, too, including one who grabbed him by the neck.

“They were intense,” he said as he combed the parking lot, looking for his eyewear. “I’d never seen anything like that.”

The security employees declined to press charges, Litchfield said.