BCPO arrests 3 more in connection to bar melee

Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli announced today the charging of three additional individuals in connection with the bar brawl that occurred outside the Twins Plus Lounge located at 2 South Main St., South Hackensack.

During the incident, five people were injured, three critically. The case is being investigated by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Major Crimes Unit, and the South Hackensack Police Department, Detective Bureau.

As previously reported to the press, at 1:44 a.m. on Jan. 27, SHPD and surrounding towns responded to a reported bar fight at Twins Plus Lounge.

Responding officers found a total of six people outside the bar. Five ambulances were called to the scene and transported five of the six to area hospitals. (4 to HUMC, one to SJHMC). The six involved persons are as follows: (1) ERNEST BRODIE, 210 7th Street, Harrison, DOB: 02/03/1994;(2) JESUS COLON, 728 Rutherford Avenue, Lyndhurst, DOB: 11/05/1992; (3) ANTHONY PATE, 570 Union Avenue, apt. 5, Belleville, DOB: 04/06/76; (4) BENJAMIN VENEGAS, 98 Wessington Avenue, Garfield,  DOB: 12/17/86; (5) RAPHAEL CARRION JR., 100 Grand Street, Garfield, DOB: 08/08/85; and (6) LUKASZ DZIEWIATKOWSKI, 17 Maple Avenue, Garfield, DOB: 05/12/1981.

Thus far, the investigation has shown that BRODIE, COLON and PATE were one group of friends and the other three were together. The two groups got into an argument inside the bar that spilled outside. During the altercation in the street, Raphael CARRION was bludgeoned in the head with a hammer and Anthony PATE was stabbed once in the torso. In addition, it is alleged that Ernest BRODIE entered his vehicle, which was parked near the bar, and intentionally drove into Lukasz DZIEWIATKOWSKI on Saddle River Avenue. He then turned around, returned to South Main Street, accelerated and intentionally struck Benjamin VENEGAS with the vehicle. LUCASZ sustained several broken bones and was treated and released from HUMC. VENEGAS sustained severe head trauma. He was released from HUMC on January 30. Anthony PATE was treated at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and was released on Jan. 29. Raphael CARRION was initially at HUMC in critical condition and has since been recently released. Jesus COLON was treated and released from HUMC after being treated for lacerations to his face and leg.

The additionally charged are: (1) Anthony PATE, charged with two counts of aggravated assault and weapons offenses. It is alleged that he attacked CARRION and DZIEWIATKOWSKI with a hammer. He is currently in the Bergen County Jail with bail set at $150,000, no 10 percent option; (2) Benjamin VENEGAS, charged with one count of aggravated assault and weapons offenses. He was processed and released after posting $75,000 bail; (3) Raphael CARRION Jr., charged with one count of aggravated assault and weapons offenses. It is alleged that he stabbed Anthony PATE. He is currently in the Bergen County Jail with bail set at $150,000, no 10 percent option.

Additionally, the owners and several employees of Twins Plus Lounge were cited by South Hackensack Police with 14 borough ordinance violations for various alleged infractions of borough ordinances and ABC laws.

The investigation is continuing.

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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.