A couple's revelry at a White Plains Asian restaurant Friday evening turned into a tussle with police, barrage of offensive language and two arrests by night's end, cops said.
But one of the two charged with misdemeanors said the evening's turbulence was unnecessary, and born out of a misunderstanding.
Officers responded to reports of a dispute at Haiku Asian Bistro at 149 Mamaroneck Ave. at 10:45 p.m. on Feb. 22, and found a shirtless man shaking his fist at a security guard, police said.
The shirtless man—Matthew Williams, a 41-year-old New York City resident—was placed under arrest by officers, but attempted to flee while cops removed a pocket knife from his pants, authorities told Patch.
Cops were forced to take Williams down to the ground, they said, where he continued to struggle with officers and resist arrest.
Williams—who was drunk, according to police—was also yelling racially charged statements, calling one officer a pejorative term for Hispanics.
While cops were waiting for a squad car to arrive, 28-year-old Sofija Fetic of New Jersey began speaking to Williams and retrieve his belongings, police said.
When cops told her to stop, she began yelling and loudly identified herself as a lawyer, authorities said.
Police cuffed her for disorderly conduct, but Fetic, also drunk, tried to resist arrest, cops said.
Soon after Williams and Fetic were transported to police headquarters and booked, police were told by Haiku employees that the two tried to leave without paying their bill. Williams and Fetic became violent when confronted, employees told cops, and used physical force and pepper stray to attack store staff.
Williams spoke with Patch Tuesday afternoon, saying the night's events stemmed from a misunderstanding about over the check. Williams said he had already paid for $300 worth of food and drinks, and was preparing to settle another $30 tab, when security pulled him outside with unnecessary force.
A fight ensued, Williams said, in which his shirt was torn off; it was when two bouncers assaulted him that his girlfriend, Fetic, used the pepper spray in his defense, he said.
Williams also noted he was "buzzed," but not drunk, and told Patch he and Fetic were treated with excessive roughness. Williams did not deny making a racially charged statement, but noted he harbors no prejudices.
Charges between Williams and Fetic include resisting arrest and theft of services, both misdemeanors, and disorderly conduct, a violation. The two will appear in court Wednesday.
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Editor's note: an earlier version of this story was published Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 5:50 a.m. It has been updated after Patch spoke with Matthew Williams.
