Arrest in bloody brawl

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Police have arrested a South Jersey man who allegedly assaulted New York Ranger fans following the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic.

Authorities identified Dennis Veteri, 32, as one of the men who allegedly attacked two men outside of Geno’s Steaks, 1219 S. Ninth St., at 7:15 p.m. Jan. 2, according to the Police Public Affairs Unit. The Glassboro N.J. native surrendered to South Detective Division, 2301 S. 24th St., Jan. 12. He was charged with two counts each of aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. He was arraigned at about 2 a.m. Jan. 13 at which time bail was set at $100,000, according to court records. The District Attorney’s Office appealed his bail asking that it be increased. At 11 a.m. yesterday, Common Pleas Court Judge Paula A. Patrick raised his bail to $400,000. He was rearrested but posted 10 percent of that figure yesterday.

Veteri and two other men allegedly attacked a 30-year-old off-duty north Jersey officer, who is a two-tour Iraqi decorated war veteran and lost a piece of his calf in a sniper attack, and his 26-year-old friend. The former was not the instigator, South Detective Division Captain Larry Nodiff said Tuesday.

“When you view the video, you see that he was not an aggressor,” he said.

Veteri pled guilty to a 1998 assault and served three years on probation, according to court records.

While the younger victim did not seek medical treatment, a private vehicle transported the veteran to a north Jersey hospital for facial contusions, a concussion and a fractured orbital for which he will undergo facial reconstructive surgery next week, Nodiff said.

“As of last week when I talked to him, he still had blood in the whites of his eyes from the brutal beating and he had a laceration on his face that looked like about five sutures closing the laceration, so he was beaten very viciously and severely,” he said.

While there have not been any other arrests, police are investigating two other suspects, Nodiff said.

“At this time, we do not have any additional arrest warrants, but we continue to focus on two other prime suspects,” he said.

To report information, call South Detectives’ tip line at 215-685-1635 or visit www.phillypolice.com/forms.

Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.