A 36-year-old Newton man is facing criminal charges after he attacked a bartender and patrons at a Moody Street restaurant Sunday night, said Detective Sgt. Tim King.
David H. Jones Jr., of 31 Whitlowe Road, pleaded not guilty on charges of disorderly conduct and assault and battery at his arraignment at Waltham District Court yesterday.
Jones "sucker-punched" a bartender at Franco's Pizzeria & Pub, 716 Moody St., when the bartender told him to stop bothering several customers at a table near the bar around 9 p.m., police said in the court report.
He "started flipping out and was swinging punches" at people at the bar, the report said.
At that point, the bartender tackled Jones, with the owner of Franco's and at least six patrons joining to hold him down until police arrived, the report said.
An officer noted that when police arrived, Jones was "kicking and screaming, and at one point almost got loose," while everyone who wasn't holding him down huddled at the other end of the bar to get away from Jones.
Police arrested Jones, who they said had a large gash under his left eyebrow.
The bartender suffered a scratch over his right eye, the report said.
District Court Judge Tobin N. Harvey released him without bail and ordered him back for a pre-trial hearing on Jan. 14.
He also ordered Jones to appear at South Boston District Court on Dec. 3 for a violating probation there.
Joyce Kelly can be reached at 781-398-8005 or jkelly@cnc.com
