After throwing punches at a tequila bar over the weekend, a drunken cop is now facing the hangover of a misdemeanor charge.
The off-duty officer, a 30-year-old who joined New Haven’s police force in 2014, was charged with third-degree assault, after he started a brawl around last Sunday night at Geronimo’s Tequila Bar in Fairfield.
Security-camera footage from the bar showed the officer holding another guy by the neck and punching him in the face. They both went back to their drinks, but moments later, the officer again tried to get into it.
The officer, who did not return a voicemail left on his cell phone, remains on active duty in New Haven.
(In most allegations of wrongdoing, the Independent does not publish the accused person’s name — unless the person enters a guilty plea or explains their side in documents or interviews, or the case ends in a conviction. The one exception to that rule is for higher-level public figures, a need to protect public safety, or a similar compelling reason.)
Acting New Haven Police Chief Otoniel Reyes said officials have reviewed the case, including the video. “Based on what we know, nothing necessitated” putting the officer on leave, he said. “We’re going to follow the case and take appropriate action based on the outcome.”
According to the Fairfield police’s incident report, prepared by Officer Samantha Salato, around 9:45 p.m., just an hour before closing time, the manager at Geronimo’s called to report a large fight inside the restaurant at 2070 Post Rd.
Inside the restaurant, Salato interviewed the man who’d been clocked in the face. He said that they’d exchanged words for a few minutes, before the off-duty officer punched him in the left eye several times. He said that the officer then went back to his table, but came over again and tried to punch him a second time.
Salato reported that the man’s left eye was “red and puffy” with a “visible welt.” The man said he’d just had surgery on his head in that area, and he took Salato’s offer of medical attention. The man was checked out by paramedics, but he refused to go to the hospital.
Then, Salato interviewed the New Haven cop outside the restaurant. The off-duty officer said that the other guy came over to his group of friends and started talking smack. He said that the other guy pushed him first and he pushed back; he said both of them had thrown punches.
But video surveillance showed the off-duty officer had been the aggressor, Salato concluded.
The clip shows the other guy approaching the off-duty officer at the bar. Even though there was no audio, Salato could tell “from body language” that the two were yelling at each other. Then, the officer jumps up, grabs the other guy by the neck and strikes him in the face several times. They separate, but moments later, the officer walks over to where the other guy is sitting. Friends hold them apart.
After the other guy said he wanted to press charges, Salato issued a misdemeanor summons and released the off-duty officer with a promise to appear. He’s due for an arraignment in state court on April 26.
It's just an alleged bar fight. We should applaud this young officer for not killing the young man who talked smack. He didn't urinate on the floor so any kind of suspension is out of the question.