SLO County man was attacked while shopping for pajamas for his family. Now he needs help

Chloe Jones
·2 min read
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A San Luis Obispo County man was attacked Thursday while out shopping for matching Halloween pajamas for his family — and community members are asking for help.

According to Courtney Ivie, who organized a GoFundMe fundraiser, San Miguel resident Nicholas Bundren was in the parking lot of the Dollar General store in San Miguel when he was attacked.

Bundren was struck once in the midsection and twice in the side of the head with a baseball bat, according to The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.

Bundren suffered a fractured skull, a concussion and internal bleeding in the attack, according to the GoFundMe site.

The agency said it dispatched deputies to the scene around 10 p.m.

Bundren was rushed to Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton and transferred to the cardiovascular intensive care unit unit for trauma care, the GoFundMe site said.

Paso Robles resident Janine Cesena, 31, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of assault in connection to the attack, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Cesena was not in San Luis Obispo County Jail custody as of early Tuesday afternoon, according to the Sheriff’s Office online database.

The Sheriff’s Office said it is continuing to investigate the case.

Meanwhile, Bundren’s condition has stabilized.

“The full journey to his recovery is likely to be a long one,” Ivie wrote on the GoFundMe said. “Due to the direct trauma to his ear and brain, we are already aware that he is suffering from hearing loss and visual complications. but has a long recovery ahead.

“He has hearing loss and visual complications as a result of the trauma, but the full extent of the damage is still being determined.

Ivie encouraged folks to come together to help Bundren and his family.

“What I love about our community is that we always pull together and make sure our community members are taken care of,” Ivie wrote. “This is one of those times. Any support and effort you can give will help Nick and his family through the times ahead.”

To donate to the GoFundMe fundraiser, visit gofund.me/0574e305.

As of early Thursday afternoon, the fundraiser had raised about $800 toward a $10,000 goal.