What may have started as a critique of a woman’s karaoke performance turned into a full-scale brawl at a downtown bar on March 18, police said.
Two men were stabbed during the midnight melee at the Main Street Sports Bar and Grill.
It’s not clear from police reports who attacked whom first, but a man who had a knife and a previous arrest for disturbing the peace was arrested and charged with three felonies.
Richard Velez, 27, of Middleborough, was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a dangerous weapon,
and disturbing the peace, subsequent offense — a misdemeanor.
He pleaded not guilty March 19 in Plymouth District Court and was released on personal recognizance.
Neither Velez, nor his lawyer, Stephen Feeney, could be reached for comment.
Police said they may seek charges against others involved in the brawl.
It was the second time in two weeks that a dispute at a downtown bar turned violent.
On March 9, a man repeatedly fired a pistol at a friend’s house a few hours after the two men got into a fight at Brewster Bar.
When police arrived at the Main Street Sports Bar & Grill bar at 11:50 p.m. on March 18, they found two bloodied men.
Velez was walking on Main Street — his clothes soaked in blood, police said. Inside the bar another man, identified as Howard Wagner, was also bleeding “significantly” from his hand.
The bartender told police a woman was singing karaoke when someone, believed to be Velez, insulted and bumped into her.
After she responded with profanity, a friend, identified as Scott Curry, “headbutted” Velez — prompting most of the bar customers to jump in, police reports said.
Surveillance video appeared to show Velez “exchanging words” with Curry, Wagner, and a third man identified as Ryan Brennan.
Punches were thrown, and Velez was seen shoving and punching others before falling to the floor.
While on the floor, police said, Velez, 5’9” and 125 pounds, was punched and kicked multiple times, according to police reports.
The groups briefly retreated, police said, before Velez could be seen standing between Wagner and Brennan in a boxer’s pose, with clenched fists.
Brennan then took a swing at Velez, the video showed. Wagner grabbed Velez from behind, he told police, because he saw a knife and wanted to wrestle it away to protect Brennan, his friend.
Wagner was injured when his hand brushed against Velez’s knife, the police report said.
So far only Velez has been charged.
Police referred to him as “the agitator” who assaulted Brennan and stabbed Wagner. “Richard’s overall dangerous conduct disturbed the patrons inside the bar room,” the police report said.
Earlier this month, an argument between friends at another bar turned potentially deadly when one of the men later fired several gunshots at the other’s house.
On March 9, Joshua Fitzgerald was socializing with friends at Brewster Bar on Main Street when Fitzgerald, who had allegedly been drinking and using cocaine, started insulting the sister of his friend, Jacob Lippman.
When Fitzgerald wouldn’t stop badmouthing the woman, Lippman told police, he punched Fitzgerald in the face.
Lippman went home, arriving at around midnight, but soon started receiving threatening text messages from Fitzgerald.
A few minutes later, he heard gunshots—three over about an hour.
Police found bullet holes in the apartments at 12 and 14 North Spooner Street, which are adjacent units in a multi-family building.
Fitzgerald was ordered held for dangerousness for up to 120 days. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 17.
Andrea Estes can be reached at andrea@plymouthindependent.org.