Shelby Restaurant Owners Charged in Competitor's Beating

The owners of a popular Shelby Township restaurant are scheduled to appear in court May 16 on charges they beat a competitor with a baseball bat, police said Monday.

Giuseppe D'Anna, 58, and Girolamo D'Anna, 46, were arraigned April 29 on attempted murder charges in 41A District Court in the township. The brothers own Tirami Su Ristorante on Schoenherr near 23 Mile. They are accused of attacking Pietro Ventimiglia, the owner of Nonna's Italian Kitchen, which is nearby on Schoenherr, police said.

"The victim was in the process of expanding his business and they were not happy about it," Shelby Township Police Lt. Stan Muszynski said. "They all knew each other and probably bickered before."

Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith said on Monday that the brothers would also face charges of extortion and witness intimidation in the incident.

At about 10 p.m. on April 28, the brothers arrived at Nonna's to see Ventimiglia. Their argument escalated to violence when the D'Anna brothers beat the restaurant owner with a bat, Muszynski said.

The victim was hit all over his body, including in the head, Muszynski said.

He was immediately treated and released from a nearby hospital and the suspects were arrested at their homes in Macomb County, he said.

They were each held on $25,000 cash/surety bonds and are slated to have preliminary exams May 16 in 41A District Court before Judge Douglas Shepherd.