By KAREN VELIE

Amid public outrage over a San Luis Obispo City inspector’s unprovoked assault on a woman and a man at a local nightclub, on Tuesday city administrators placed Chris Olcott on paid administrative leave.

More than a year ago, city administrators discovered that Olcott had been arrested on felony and misdemeanor battery charges. Even so, Community Development Director Michael Codron recently awarded Olcott a promotion and a raise.

On Monday, Cal Coast Times published an article about Olcott’s battery conviction, along with a video of the assault, which prompted a barrage of emails and calls to city staff and officials from concerned citizens.

Before noon on Tuesday, City Manager Derek Johnson announced Olcott would be placed on leave while the city conducts an investigation.

On May 28, 2016, Olcott was drinking at Mr. Rick’s in Avila Beach when he purposely bumped into Camile Chavez, a special education teacher at Righetti High School. After he pushed her a second time, Chavez pushed back.

Within seconds, Olcott hit Chavez in the temple with his elbow, which knocked her unconscious.

Olcott then punched Chavez’s companion, Isaac McCormack, in the back of the head three times. Both Chavez and McCormick suffered concussions during the assault.

After Olcott pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in exchange for a dismissal of the felony charge, San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Jacquelyn Duffy sentenced Olcott to 60 days in jail with a three-year suspended sentence. He is scheduled to begin his jail sentence on May 20.