NEWBURGH – A Newburgh Police officer sustained a broken nose when he was punched in the face as city officers tried to prevent a riot when some 80 to 100 people left a bar at closing time early Friday morning.
The owner of Untouchables Bar on Liberty Street had called police asking for assistance as he was concerned there might be problems. As police were standing by with a crowd of people, a fight broke out between a group of woman leading to officers attempting to prevent a riot.
Officer Brandon Rola identified the main aggressor, Starkia Burks, 27, and was going to make an arrest when he was grabbed by other people in the crowd and was being pulled away from Burks. As he tried to pull away from the crowd, Burks struck Rola in the face breaking his nose.
Police from the towns of Newburgh and New Windsor were called in to help break up the crowd.
Officer Rola was treated at St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh for the broken nose.
Burks was charged with obstructing governmental administration, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
The investigation is continuing.
