By Wayne Laepple
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.
