Witness: Victim was not hit before death

Clinton “C.J.” Hubbard was not punched before he collapsed outside the Code restaurant in Newport Beach Thanksgiving morning and died the next day, police cited a witness as reporting.

The witness’ account contradicts officials’ initial belief that Hubbard was punched in the head after confronting a man who was arguing with a woman outside the restaurant before 2 a.m. Nov. 26.

Police initially said witnesses reported seeing Hubbard punched and collapsing in the parking lot unconscious.

Doctors said the punch burst a blood vessel in Hubbard’s brain, family said.

Relatives took Hubbard off life support the next night.

This latest account, however, says Hubbard simply collapsed and that there was no confrontation with anyone outside the restaurant, said Sgt. Evan Sailor.

The witness is considered credible and was not involved in the incident, Sailor said.

Police are still treating the case as a homicide and are awaiting a toxicology report from the sheriff-coroner in six to eight weeks to determine cause of death, and if a punch caused it, Sailor said.

— Joseph Serna