Del Taco worker out on bail after allegedly stabbing customer

A Del Taco employee who allegedly stabbed a customer with a knife over a disputed order is believed to be gang-affiliated and will face three felony charges when he appears in court in August, according to Riverside County Sheriff's Department jail records.

The argument erupted at 1:50 a.m. Thursday at the Hemet restaurant on East Florida Avenue, officials said. The eatery was identified as a Del Taco by the Associated Press.

The customer, who was not identified, was stabbed in the abdomen and transported by friends to a local hospital, Sheriff's Department officials said. Officials described his wounds as serious but said he was expected to survive.

The suspect, 28-year-old Gabriel Villalba, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He was transported to the Larry Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, where he was held on $25,000 bail and released Friday, jail records said.

According to the records, Villalba was charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and committing a felony in association with a gang.  

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-- Matt Stevens and Louis Sahagun

Credit: Gabriel Villalba. Credit: KTLA-TV