Club patrons arrested

OLD BRIDGE - Police arrested three Manalapan men after a fight broke out at a local nightclub recently.

After being dispatched to the Breakfast Club, on Route 516, at 1:25 a.m. Nov. 22, police arrested Eric J. Gladstein, 24, on charges of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Police charged Richard Vincent Peckio Jr., 23, with aggravated assault and resisting arrest; and Joshua M. Landesman, 24, with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Police arrived to find a large number of bar patrons standing outside the business. Authorities conducted crowd control while several bar security employees escorted Gladstein out of the club for reportedly being unruly.

As Patrolman Aaron Mantikonis escorted Gladstein to the parking lot, Landesman allegedly approached the police officer and demanded to know what was happening. Mantikonis ordered Landesman to take his friend and leave the bar, according to police.

Landesman reportedly walked back toward the bar with Gladstein and yelled an expletive at authorities. Mantikonis told him again to leave the area or he would be arrested.

Gladstein then allegedly pushed Patrolman Brandon Ward while yelling profanities at bar security. Ward and Patrolman Keith Weiss then restrained Gladstein, according to police.

When Landesman allegedly tried to get the officers to release Gladstein, police took him to the ground and arrested him. He allegedly continued to resist arrest when police restrained him, refusing to give his other arm in order for them to handcuff him.

A third individual, Peckio, reportedly joined Gladstein in resisting police during the incident. Peckio allegedly struggled to pull away from police several times, continuing to fight before police took him to the ground and arrested him.

- Michael Acker