Officers arrest man accused of assaulting Merced store clerk, police say

A man was arrested Tuesday, after allegedly assaulting a store clerk in Merced, according to authorities.

Merced police officers responded at about 8:54 p.m. to a panic alarm at the Buy & Bye Market located at 1108 G Street, according to a news release.

After arriving on scene officers located a store clerk lying on the ground behind a counter. Police said the suspect, later identified as Marcus Slaton, 36, entered the store at 8:53 p.m. and allegedly struck the clerk in the head with a piece of wood before leaving the scene.

According to authorities, the clerk suffered a large laceration and swelling to his head. He was taken by Riggs Ambulance Service to a hospital for treatment.

Slaton was located by police in the 200 block of East 9th Street and positively identified as the suspect who struck the store clerk, police said.

Slaton was interviewed by detectives at the Merced Police Department before being booked into Merced County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

Merced police ask anyone with information regarding this alleged crime to contact Officer Gallegos at 209-388-7731 or by email at gallegosm@cityofmerced.org.