One cook said Melliza's face had taken on an "unearthly gray" pallor after the violent episode and that foam frothed from his mouth.
Employees said Melliza returned to the kitchen for a faceoff with the server, a floor manager and a restaurant chef who grabbed a pan to hold the dishwasher at bay. Melliza reportedly grabbed a long bicycle lock from a pants pocket during the standoff and attacked a pair of the employees with it, employees said.
The server received injuries to a wrist and the back of his head. The floor manager had a deep gash on the side of his head, a restaurant general manager said.
Melliza was hired at Hawks about three weeks ago, said employees who described the man as quiet and polite.
Sacramento police said the alleged attack was unprovoked and said Melliza appeared to be under the influence of narcotics.