San Luis Obispo firefighter allegedly a wedding basher

June 13, 2011

By KAREN VELIE

A San Luis Obispo firefighter who put one man in the hospital during a wedding after-party earlier this month, allegedly bashed another man over the head with a full bottle of champagne during a 1997 wedding in Los Osos.

CalCoastNews has interviewed more than a dozen eyewitnesses of several attacks allegedly perpetrated by San Luis Obispo firefighter John Ryan Mason, 34. However, because of fear of Mason or worry over retribution, many have asked to have their names withheld. However, several members of law enforcement confirm the alleged assaults resulted in 911 calls.

At the 1997 wedding in Los Osos, held at 2095 Willow Drive, Mason participated in the ceremony as a groomsman. Several witnesses said Mason became agitated with a man who he claimed was ogling his date.

According to eyewitnesses, Mason allegedly grabbed a full bottle of champagne and bashed Al Beavers, the owner of Al’s Septic Pumping Service, on the head.

Mason attacked Beavers from behind, but witnesses said he hit the wrong man. The mistake happened because both Beavers and the other man had beards.

Nevertheless, Beavers was transported to the hospital with broken teeth and a cracked jaw. He required oral surgery in order to recover from the alleged assault.

Though San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the alleged assault, Mason had already fled and was not arrested.

On June 4, Mason allegedly followed Jory Brigham, 32, into the bathroom of Pappy McGregor’s in San Luis Obispo. Witnesses said Mason kept aggressively backing Brigham into the rear of the bathroom upset about a post Brigham had put on Facebook,  which noted Brigham’s view on infidelity.

“It is blowing my mind recently how lightly marriage is taken, and how it is almost socially acceptable to walk out on your family,” Brigham said on his Facebook page on January 27.

After asking Mason to stop on behalf of the newlyweds, one witness went to get help. Another person entered the bathroom to allegedly find the off-duty firefighter beating an unconscious Brigham about the face and head.

On Friday, during seven hours of surgery, doctors placed four plates in Brigham’s head and wired his jaw shut. Because his tongue was severely swollen, surgeons mistakenly sewed his tongue to his jaw. They plan to correct the error and expect further surgeries may be required in the future, the family said in an email obtained by CalCoastNews.

Before the alleged assault on Brigham, Mason attempted to catch a cab home. However, even though witnesses said he did not appear drunk, Mason became argumentative with the taxi driver and was ultimately told he could not enter the cab.

Mason fled the scene and was arrested by San Luis Obispo police five days after the alleged assault on Brigham.