NYPD vs. Drunk Dutch Embassy Guys
When a group of Dutch Embassy guys allegedly tried to leave Arthur's Tavern in Greenwich Village without paying a $315 tab, NYPD officers intervened and a brawl ensued, resulting in a chipped tooth, a broken finger and bruises. And arrests!
The kerfuffle happened early Sunday morning, after a good amount of drinking, of course. It got started when a waitress from Arthur's flagged down a mounted cop out on the street after the group walked into the street without paying their tab. The Daily News has the details:
According to court papers, Rendon and Van Der Hoek punched Officer Andrew Smith in the face and Veeniage, Rendon's wife, jumped on the cop.
Van Der Hoek repeatedly punched a second cop, Matthew Tocco, resulting in bruising and a broken tooth, cops charge. Van Der Hoek also allegedly injured another cop, Arthur Truscelli. A fourth officer, Damien Drisco, broke a finger as Van Der Hoek, according to police, resisted arrest.
It sounds like these guys put up quite a fight! Three of the men work for the Dutch Embassy, but they don't have diplomatic immunity. One of the men told the Daily News as he was leaving Manhattan Criminal Court yesterday that "we were willing to pay. You just couldn't pay with a credit card." Suuuure. They now face felony assault charges. Here's a quick piece of advice: Don't start punching cops in the middle of the street. You'll probably lose.