MILTON — A police officer was injured, and four people were arrested during a melee at an under-21 event early Monday morning at a Front Street night spot.
Police estimated that 50-60 people were involved in the late-night fracas. Two teens, who were subdued with a Taser and pepper spray, were taken to a hospital, where they were treated for their injuries and released, police said.
Detective Dan Embeck, of the Milton Police Department, said officers were called to Big Andy’s Bar and Grill at 14 S. Front St. around 1 a.m. after a fight broke out inside the club. By the time police arrived, he said, a full-fledged brawl was under way.
“It was like everyone was fighting with everyone else,” Embeck said.
Big Andy’s normally holds an over-16 under-21 event on Sunday nights, but while those at the establishment were under the legal age to drink alcoholic beverages, Embeck said the nearby municipal parking lot was littered with beer cans and bottles.
Kaleb Baney, a part-time officer, went into the club after he saw one of the club’s security personnel get punched in the back of the head, while two other officers, Eric Goodbrod and Greg Drollinger, began trying to restore order outside.
While trying to arrest an individual, Drollinger, a Watsontown officer, was set upon from behind by several youths who tried to pull him off. Goodbrod went to his aid and suffered an injury that Embeck said would keep him off work for several days.
Embeck said 50-60 people were involved in the fight. Officers called for assistance from Lewisburg and East Buffalo Township, but those officers were in Mifflinburg backing up officers there.
A call for all available officers to assist brought police from Sunbury, Shamokin Dam and Muncy as well as state troopers from the Milton, Selinsgrove and Stonington stations, as well as several off-duty Milton officers. Embeck estimated 15-20 officers were at the scene.
As additional police began to arrive, people left.
Police did arrest four people, Embeck said, all from the Williamsport area. They were an adult and three juveniles.
This was the second incident this year at Big Andy’s. During the spring, 76 Bucknell University students were arrested for underage drinking, but many of their cases were dismissed by a district judge because arresting officers did not follow proper procedures during the arrests.
Gregory Horvat, a supervisor at the Bureau of Liquor Enforcement in Harrisburg, said liquor enforcement officers could cite Big Andy’s for disorderly operation if it is determined that underage drinking was taking place.
“An establishment must conform with regulations of the Liquor Control Board and obey all other laws of the commonwealth,” Horvat said.
Horvat said the threshold for sanctioning a bar as a nuisance bar is quite high.
A nuisance bar is defined as one “that brings the surrounding community down,” he explained.
Excessive noise, litter and similar behavior contributes to the determination. Input from local police, community leaders and testimony from liquor control agents are part of the determination.
Eventually, Horvat said, the district attorney would become involved and official hearings would be held.
“It’s a fairly big hurdle to cross,” he said.
Andy Kessler, owner of Big Andy’s could not be reached for comment Monday.
News
50 to 60 involved in underage bar brawl
Officer hurt in melee
- News
-
-
Masked robber hits McClure bank
McCLURE — Police said a man with a handgun entered the MCS bank at 1 E. Specht St. just after 9 a.m., Tuesday and demanded money from a teller before making off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
-
Union County deputy excels at academy
LEWISBURG — Feel safer, Union County: A deputy sheriff received the Michael VanKuren Memorial Award for Defensive Tactics during his recent graduation from the Pennsylvania Deputy Sheriff’s Academy.
-
Shoch too good to lose, Point supervisors say
NORTHUMBERLAND — Point Township Supervisors Randy Yoxheimer and Montie Peters credit attorney Rick Shoch with helping them weather difficult years as they fended off a slew of lawsuits from developers, disgruntled former employees and residents.
-
Two firemen face trial in arsons
DANVILLE — A firefighter said “it kind of hit me hard” after two fellow firemen were charged with setting fires in Montour and Northumberland counties and calling in false alarms in Union County.
-
Lewisburg high school back on drawing board
LEWISBURG — The Lewisburg Area School District is moving forward with a flexible version of its master facilities plan with the possibility that construction, including a new Lewisburg Area High School, could begin as soon as 2015 or as late as 2018.
-
Storms knock out power to more than 700 this afternoon
SUNBURY - More than 700 homes and businesses lost electrical service this afternoon when a line of heavy thunderstorms rolled through the region.
-
Masked gunman robs McClure bank
McCLURE - Police said a man displaying a handgun entered the MCS bank in Mcclure Borough just after 9 a.m., Tuesday and demanded money from a teller before making off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
-
'To Do': Carnival
MILTON -The Lions Carnival held from 6 to 9 p.m. May 30 at Brown Avenue Park.
-
Electronic fingerprinting soon needed to provide long-term elder care
HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Department of Aging will soon begin using an electronic fingerprinting process to screen people applying to work in a long-term care facility or home health care agency.
-
Buggy driver falls asleep in Lancaster County; collides with bus
NEW PROVIDENCE — Pennsylvania State Police say the 15-year-old driver of a horse and buggy fell asleep at the reins and collided with a school bus.
-
17-year-old New Columbia boy in critical condition after Sunday crash
WATSONTOWN -- State police said a 17-year-old New Columbia boy is in the hospital in critical condition after the car he was driving crossed the center line on Route 405 and slammed into an oncoming car.
-
60 and Counting
The singer John Prine wrote these lines in a song titled ‘The Late John Garfield Blues: “An old man sleeps with his conscience at night. Young kids sleep with their dreams.”
- More News Headlines
-
