Man dressed as ‘ninja’ suspected in restaurant assault

A man witnesses said wore a “ninja mask” is accused of assaulting the owner of a Spokane Italian restaurant with a baseball bat. Police arrested Justin E. Rodney, 25, on suspicion of assaulting the owner of Mama Mia’s on West Francis Avenue late Saturday night. According to court documents, the owner, Jeroma J. Amicarella, told police he was working with another employee when Rodney entered the restaurant swinging a baseball bat and attempted to hit him in the head. Amicarella told police Rodney hit him in the left buttock and continued trying to swing the bat at his head before fleeing. Rodney was wearing black clothes with a black mask across his face. Police found Rodney shortly after and arrested him on suspicion of second-degree assault. He was riding in a car driven by his girlfriend and appeared to be fleeing from the scene of the assault, police said. Officers found footprints matching Rodney’s in an alley next to the restaurant. They also seized an ax, crowbar, nail puller and a Glock semi-automatic handgun from the car he was in.