Police: Reminiscing Gets Out of Hand for 2 Former Morgan's Thunder Bowl Employees

Two men were arrested Sept. 1 at after police were called about a fight that was resolved before they arrived, according to reports.

Brian J. Ruppert, 29, of the 19700 block of Cambridge Drive, was arrested and charged with possession of drug equipment and disorderly conduct, while his friend, Joseph M. Fernandez, 25, of the 19600 block of Everett Lane, was arrested and charged with battery and disorderly conduct, the police report stated.

When arrived on the scene, Ruppert and Fernandez were in the parking lot, and Fernandez was restraining Ruppert. Both men were visibly intoxicated with slurred speech and glassy, bloodshot eyes, according to the report. Ruppert told police that they were former Morgan's employees who had come to have some drinks and visit friends who were working.

The manager at Morgan's told police he didn't want to file any complaints; he just wanted Ruppert to pay his bill and leave, the report stated. Ruppert agreed to leave and told the responding officer he would walk home, the report continued.

The officer offered to drive Ruppert home because of how drunk Ruppert was, and Ruppert agreed, the report stated. When the officer asked if Ruppert had a weapon or anything illegal on him, Ruppert said, "No, go ahead and check."

That search, however, revealed a "hitter box," which contained a metal pipe with burnt residue and trace amounts of a green, leafy substance suspected to be marijuana, according to the report. Ruppert initially denied it was his and accused the officer of planting it. But later, he admitted he forgot he had it on him and thought he'd left it at home, the report said. Ruppert was then taken into custody.

That's when Fernandez became irate, believing certain employees had convinced police to apprehend Ruppert, the report stated. Fernandez then approached the manager and punched him in the back of the head, leaving a large bump, the report stated.

Fernandez denied hitting the manager to police, claiming he had witnesses who would say he didn't hit anybody, the report stated. However, he was not able to find any witnesses to support his side of the story, and he was taken into custody and charged with battery and disorderly conduct.

Both men were released on $1,000 bonds, and their next court dates are Oct. 10.

Police report information is provided by . Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.

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