The night manager of a local fast food restaurant was arrested by DeKalb police early Monday morning after fighting with a customer.

Michael G. Bonds, 20, Evanston, Ill., was arrested and charged with battery, police said. Bonds allegedly confronted a customer at Hardee’s, 1101 W. Lincoln Highway, with “15 to 20 black men,” police said.

Bonds, who is the president of the NIU student organization B.R.O.T.H.E.R.S., also is a manager at the restaurant.

“A manager is supposed to call the police (if a fight occurs), not get involved in it,” said Hardee’s District Manager Dennis Page.

Page said he is still investigating the details of the 1:15 a.m. fight. “If what I’ve heard is true, he will be suspended,” Page said.

According to police reports, the customer allegedly was talking to a Hardee’s employee who was mopping the floor. Bonds allegedly told him to stop and leave the employee alone so she could work, police said.

The customer and his friends went to use the bathroom, police said. When they returned, they were allegedly confronted by Bonds and the 15- to 20-member group.

The customer received injuries to his right eye and was treated at Kishwaukee Community Hospital, Rt. 23 and Bethany Road, police said.

Bonds has been with Hardee’s for “quite a while. He started as an employee and worked his way up to a shift supervisor,” Page said. According to NIU’s Office of Records and Registration, Bonds is not a student, although he was last spring.

Monday’s incident was the first time Page knew of a manager becoming involved in a fight with a customer, he said. “We’ve had drunks get in fights before, but not managers,” he said.

Bonds was not available for comment Monday. He is scheduled to appear in court March 9.