Man Arrested After Punching Bouncer Outside Middletown Restaurant: Cops

A Middletown man is facing charges after getting into a fight with a bouncer outside Mezzo Grille on Saturday, then struggling with officers who tried to arrest him, according to police.

Police said officers in the area spotted Rashaun Watson, 26, fighting with a group of people in the alleyway between Mezzo Grille at 106 Court Street and 90 Court Street in Middletown early Saturday.

Officers watched as Watson swung at a Mezzo staff member, who said Watson had previously punched him. Watson ignored an officer who told him to stop fighting, according to police.

When police tried to break up the fight, Watson slapped an officer's hand away and tried to pull away. Police said one of the officers pepper sprayed Watson in order to handcuff him.

After his arrest, Watson allegedly told police he had been dancing on a stage at Mezzo when a bouncer asked him to get down, then "cold clocked" him on the head and punched him "five or six times for no reason."

"I went over to him later and punched him in the face, because, of course, I'm going to defend myself," Watson said, according to the police report. He added that he goes to Mezzo every Friday and "I never cause any problems."

Watson was arrested and charged with second-degree breach of peace and interfering with an officer. It's not clear if he has an attorney.

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