Mechanic facing charge and civil suit for allegedly assaulting customer: 'He did not hold back'

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man is looking for more than $1 million in damages after a car repair shop owner allegedly pointed a gun at him, hit him in the back of the head with it, and yelled racial slurs at him throughout the process.

Earl Morris said he was on his way to work on Jan. 31 when his car hit something in the road.

He said he took it to Enzo Car Care on Richmond Avenue at the behest of the tow truck driver and contacted his insurance company prior to the work being authorized.

It was when he went to pick the car up that afternoon that Morris said the problems with the shop's owner, Mazen Al Kassar, began.

"The shop owner was requesting me to pay extra funds," Morris explained to ABC13. "He started getting irate with me when I said to contact the insurance company because they could rectify the situation."

Morris said Al Kassar then told him to come to the other side of the counter to get his car keys before allegedly pointing a gun at him and hitting him in the back of the head with it as he tried to walk away from the counter.

"I called the police," Morris explained.

Houston Police Department officers said they spoke to both parties and looked at surveillance video of the alleged incident upon their arrival at the repair shop.

The Harris County District Attorney's Office ultimately accepted an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge against Al Kassar.

Morris also filed a civil suit against him as a result of physical and psychological trauma.

That lawsuit alleges the shop owner also yelled racial slurs at Morris throughout the altercation.

"He did not hold back," Morris said.

ABC13 reached out to Al Kassar's attorney, but he did not return our messages.

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