Man sues State College restaurant, claims assault by security led to back surgery
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Man alleges Primanti Bros. security assaulted him in 2024, causing major back surgery.
- Lawsuit blames Primanti’s hiring and training policies for unsafe, aggressive staff.
- Plaintiff seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages and additional costs.
May 6, 2026, update: According to a letter filed April 29, 2026, a settlement agreement was reached. The terms of the agreement are not known.
A man said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that he needed major back surgery after security staff at a downtown State College restaurant and bar assaulted him.
Scott Somers, of New Jersey, sued Primanti Bros. and its parent company over what he described as an unprovoked and violent confrontation. A message left Friday with Authentic Restaurant Brands was not immediately returned.
Somers said he approached security in February 2024 to find out why they were confronting his son. He claimed security personnel then immediately initiated physical contact and forcefully restrained him and his son.
Somers further alleged he was pulled backward, surrounded by a handful of security staff, placed in a chokehold and thrown to the ground. State College police told the Centre Daily Times that officers responded, but were unable to share additional details.
The lawsuit claimed Primanti’s hiring policies were inadequate, leading to the employment of security staff who were “wholly untrained, incompetent, and overly aggressive.” Somers is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, as well as other costs.
This story was originally published January 2, 2026 at 2:01 PM.