Authorities in Larimer County say they arrested two Denver men early Saturday on suspicion of inciting a riot outside a Fort Collins bar after a violent fight boiled over when patrons left the overcrowded establishment.
Jaishann Martis Dean, 21, and Dominique Artrail Debow, 22, were arrested and later released after posting $1,250 bonds.
Authorities say they arrived just after midnight at Alicia’s Restaurant and Bar on the 300 block of South Link Lane for a routine business check when they “immediately” discovered the bar was far beyond its legal occupant capacity.
The county sheriff’s office estimated in a news release issued Tuesday that there were more than 500 people in the bar, which had a capacity of about 160.
As officials ordered patrons out of the bar, a fight broke out in a parking lot across the street that involved about a dozen people, the release said.
Authorities say one deputy drove into the middle group to break up the fight when his verbal commands to stop were ignored. The sheriff’s office said several people were on the ground being beaten by the crowd.
“The deputy used his baton to strike the aggressors in attempts to protect the victims on the ground and himself from the advancing crowd,” the release said. “That fight eventually stopped and a large crowd continued to form around the deputy.”
The sheriff’s office says the deputy continued ordering the crowd to disperse, but a man, later identified as Debow, started moving toward the deputy telling the crowd to fight the police.
Debow was then arrested.
“Another deputy was attempting to disperse a portion of the crowd when a man took a fighting stance, shouted that the deputies were not going to arrest (Debow), and advanced toward the deputy,” the release said.
Officials say that man, later identified as Dean, began approaching the deputy in a “fighting posture” at which point be was tased and taken into custody.
Officers from several law enforcement agencies arrived to assist and eventually dispersed the crowd, the office said.
No deputies nor either of the men arrested were injured, authorities say.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or
