Valencia resident alleges coverup after 3 off-duty deputies brutally assaulted him
A Valencia man has filed a lawsuit claiming he was beat up by three off-duty Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies outside a local bar last year — and that their former captain tried to cover it up, according to the federal civil rights claim filed Aug. 25.
Santa Clarita resident Parker Seitz is suing for a series of “egregious violations” of his civil rights, stating he was brutally beaten by three off-duty deputies — Nicholas Hernandez, Randy Austin and a third unnamed deputy — outside the Break Room in Newhall, according to his lawsuit.
His lawsuit also claims former Sheriff’s Station Capt. Justin Diez, who has since been promoted to commander in the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, and at least one other deputy abused their authority in an attempt to dissuade the Seitz family from reporting the incident.
Seitz referred a request for comment Thursday to his attorney.
“We do not relish filing this lawsuit against the county of Los Angeles and members of the Los Angeles (County) Sheriff’s Department,” according to an email sent Thursday by Josh Stambaugh, Seitz’s attorney. “Our client Parker Seitz and his family, including his father, Ryan, are longtime supporters of law enforcement in their home community of Santa Clarita through charity events and beyond. They never imagined having to take legal action against law enforcement, particularly those they had once considered friends.”
Diez did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
“The department has received the complaint and takes these allegations seriously,” according to an email Thursday from Nicole Nishida, spokeswoman for the LASD. “On Dec. 2, 2024, the department initiated an internal investigation into the incident. Three employees have been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation.”
Nishida did not identify which three individuals were relieved of duty.
“The department expects all personnel to conduct themselves with professionalism and respect, both on and off duty. The department has established policies and procedures that clearly outline the standards of conduct required of all employees. These guidelines are in place to ensure accountability, maintain public trust, and uphold the integrity of the department. Any violation of these standards will be addressed promptly, and appropriate action will be taken if evidence is found to support the allegation of misconduct.”
Seitz’s lawsuit contends the security guards outside the Break Room, a Lyons Avenue bar with pool tables and darts, did nothing as he tried to tell them Austin, Hernandez and the third person were harassing Seitz — for example, by grabbing for the sunglasses on his head.
After the bar emptied around 1:30 a.m. Nov. 28 — early on Thanksgiving morning — a group of patrons gathered in the parking lot, and Seitz “began conversing with” the three men, according to the lawsuit, which also states Hernandez started to invade Seitz’s personal space and become confrontational.
The lawsuit then claims that, across the street from the bar, Austin “suddenly and without any justification, punched Seitz, knocking him to the ground.” Seitz was then kicked and stomped by the deputies, according to the lawsuit.
A man identified as Garrett Hixon, one of Seitz’s friends, broke up the altercation, and Seitz was taken to the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital emergency room, according to the complaint.
Seitz said in his lawsuit that, as a result of the attack, he suffered a broken jaw, punctured lung and injuries to his collarbone and ribs.
Seitz also claimed that a coverup of the incident, beginning the morning of the assault, also violated his civil rights.
His complaint states Deputy Randy Wyatt then visited Hixon while both were still at Henry Mayo.
“Wyatt confronted Hixon, Seitz’s friend, and a witness,” according to the lawsuit, “representing that Seitz threw the first punch in the beating, despite that Wyatt had no personal knowledge of what had actually transpired, and contrary to the physical evidence and witness statements.”
That morning, Diez, who was captain of the SCV Sheriff’s Station at the time, became involved, the lawsuit alleges.
Parker Seitz’s father, Ryan Seitz — listed as the owner of Calex Engineering, a Valencia business with a client list including the L.A. Memorial Coliseum and Waldorf Astoria Hotel — received a call from Diez around 9 a.m.
The lawsuit states that Diez told the elder Seitz his son started a fight with off-duty deputies, and that Parker Seitz could be subject to arrest for that role.
Diez also claimed that the department was understaffed, and that if Ryan Seitz could leave it to Diez, “Diez would make sure the situation would go away,” according to the lawsuit, which added that Diez also said he couldn’t guarantee that the three deputies wouldn’t sue.
“Diez further advised that due to the personal friendship between Diez and Ryan Seitz,” according to Parker Seitz’s lawsuit, “Diez would make sure nothing came of it and that Seitz would not be charged with a crime.”
After Ryan Seitz spoke with his son and tried to contact Diez to tell him a different version of events from his son, “Diez refused to look further into the matter and considered Seitz the suspect and instigator.”
Ryan Seitz said he made telephonic complaints to LASD Internal Affairs on Nov. 28.
Parker Seitz’s lawsuit states Ryan Seitz received two letters on March 4 in response: Both letters were “signed by Diez as a captain of the LASD.”
“The letter contained false information and a report signed by Lt. Richard O’Neal that contained false information,” according to the complaint, which the lawsuit calls “further acts of intimidation.”
The lawsuit also contends the LASD “ratified” the actions of the deputies, including Diez, by granting promotions to some of those involved in the incident.
Department officials later announced in April that Diez would be named commander, and he was replaced by the station’s longtime operations lieutenant, Brandon Barclay. Barclay was replaced by O’Neal.
On Wednesday, the case was assigned at random to Judge R. Gary Klausner of the U.S. Central District Court in Los Angeles, according to the federal docket, which did not yet have a future hearing date scheduled as of this story’s publication.
