Four Men Arrested After Assaulting Police Officer Outside Worcester Bar

Saturday, March 30, 2019

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Four men were arrested after assaulting a Worcester police officer in the area of the District Bar and Nightclub on Water Street early Friday morning.

Eric Rojas is charged with disturbing the peace, disorderly person, resisting arrest, and assault and battery on a police officer. He was treated medically for the dog bite.

Gabriel Rivera is charged with disturbing the peace, disorderly person, resisting arrest, assault and battery on a police officer, disarming a police officer (Radio), and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot).

Concepcion Rodriguez is charged with disturbing the peace, disorderly person, resisting arrest, and assault and battery on a police officer.

Miguel Diaz is charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, assault and battery on a police officer, and intimidation of a witness.

The Incident

On Friday, March 29 at about 1 a.m., a Worcester Police officer was working an off-duty assignment at District Bar and Nightclub at 109 Water St. The officer was flagged down for a disturbance on the dance floor, in which several people were spraying beer on other patrons and were being asked to leave by security staff. The officer assisted the staff in removing the unruly patrons. One of the men causing the disturbance, Rodriguez, 32 of 5 Lucian St, began to taunt the staff and refuse to leave. When the officer walked toward him, Rodriguez shoved the officer backward and took a boxer’s stance.

At this point, the officer asked for backup on the radio and attempted to place Rodriguez under arrest. Rodriguez struck the officer on the left side of the head with a closed fist, and the officer struck him back and attempted to take him down to the ground. The officer was able to bring Rodriguez to the ground and tried to place handcuffs on him.

As the officer struggled with Rodriguez, another male, Gabriel Rivera, twenty-three-years-old of 15 May St, tried to push the officer off Rodriguez. Rivera grabbed the officer’s radio and removed it from the officer’s belt, keeping the officer from calling for help or updating the other responding officers. A bystander helped to push Rivera away from the officer.

Rodriguez got back to his feet and ran across Water St. The officer followed him and gained control of him again. After a struggle, he took Rodriguez to the ground. Several other members of the group followed the officer and attempted to prevent the arrest. Rivera kicked the officer in the hands and chest to prevent him from handcuffing Rodriguez. Another man, identified as Eric Rojas, twenty-three-years-old of Spencer, began punching the officer in the back of the head.

Assisting officers arrived, and Rojas was actively punching the original officer on the ground. The first assisting officer grabbed Mr. Rojas and pulled him back, and Rojas turned and began to fight with the assisting officer. As they struggled, a K9 officer arrived to help, and the K9 delivered a bite to Rojas’ calf. At this point, Rojas complied and was placed in handcuffs.

The original detail officer was able to handcuff Rodriguez, and told other officers to arrest Rivera. They both continued to struggle and fight until the wagon arrived, at which point they were transported to the station. As the officers were arresting the three individuals, a crowd had formed.

A fourth man named Diaz, 20, of 25 Columbia St, kept screaming at the officers and approaching the officers who were struggling with the three males described above. As an officer tried to keep the crowd back, Diaz shoved the officer, at which point he was placed under arrest.