Township to decide on Cameo liquor license Owners were evicted on Jan. 14, but twp. could still seize liquor license BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer WOODBRIDGE - The owners of the Cameo Banquet Hall on Rahway Avenue will await the Township Council's ruling on whether they can keep their liquor license. The decision could come as early as Jan. 16, but no later than Feb. 6. The council, which serves as the Alcoholic Beverage Control [ABC] governing board, heard three hours of testimony from township police officers and Cameo employees at a hearing on Jan. 9 in council chambers. Joseph Buttafuoco, the ABC prosecutor for the township, and Jarrod Dominick, who owns the Cameo under Smith Toth Inc. with his brother Harry Dominick, pleaded their cases in front of the board, which was overseen by the township's ABC attorney, Kenneth Nowak. The Jan. 9 hearing stemmed from two incidents that occurred at the banquet hall on Dec. 3 and Dec. 10 that led to arrests. The owners voluntarily agreed to close their doors pending a Dec. 19 hearing, where the council allowed them to open their doors, but not until they complied with eight restrictions that they had to follow until the Jan. 9 hearing. The owners complied. Smith Toth Inc. (Cameo) has been charged with multiple violations of state and township ordinances, municipal codes and ABC regulations. The violations include immoral conduct and public disturbance; maintaining a nuisance operation; failure to adequately provide security personnel; sale of alcoholic beverages to unauthorized underage persons; serving intoxicated persons; and multiple violations of municipal housing, building, zoning and planning ordinances. Additionally, the fire department officials previously issued fire code violations. Buttafuoco said the behavior of the patrons during the two incidents were unacceptable. "The fights happened because of the conduct of people on the premises," he said. "It's not that something fun and peaceful took place, someone was stabbed and someone was almost beaten to death. It's an egregious free for all is what it was." Jarrod Dominick, who appeared before the board without his brother or lawyer, defended his establishment. "I can't control how these kids fight, but we handled the two incidents that occurred the best we could," said Dominick. "These kids these days get in 10s and jump on one kid [similar to the fight on Dec. 10]. I didn't event fights. Fights have been happening since the beginning of time. They learn it from the TV sets. I wish I could have done something to prevent the fights, but I can't control that." Ptl. James Distlecamp and his partner Ptl. Michael Delli Santi testified on their involvement in the incident on Dec. 3. The two patrolmen were the first on scene. Police were dispatched to the Cameo at 1:12 a.m. on Dec. 3 on a call of loud noise. The board learned that the event that night was a Rutgers University party, which included various fraternities, after the football game. The party included a live DJ and a buffet. The patrons received advanced tickets months prior to the event. Police said two security officers who were working at the event informed them that two large men, both of New Brunswick, were drunk and would not leave. Several police officers tried to calm the two men down and asked them four times to leave, but they refused all orders. Four officers had to hold and handcuff both men. They were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, police said. One of the men, who is not of legal age to drink alcohol, admitted to drinking alcohol, the police report said. Dominick questioned why his business was scrutinized for serving patrons that were underage when no one was arrested for underage drinking and no one was tested for being intoxicated. "I don't understand why the police didn't test anyone," said Dominick. "It's the cop's opinion to say a person is intoxicated. It is hearsay and it's slander to my name when I spent my hard-earned money to have people say that I served to underage patrons. Why would I belittle myself like that by serving underage patrons ... just to run my business to the ground? Our staff is certified and we hold our liquor license high in the township." Ricky Green, who is a cousin of the Dominick brothers and said he fills in positions where needed during events, said he stood watch over the screening of patrons entering the main ballroom of the Cameo. "Everyone who enters the bar who was over 21 years old received a wristband," said Green, who has been a certified bartender for seven years and said he has attended various ABC workshops. "People under 21 were allowed in, but not served. The kids who came up to the bar without a wristband were asked for ID. All we wanted was the event to be safe. It was just a college party." Head of security that night at the Cameo was Luchies Davis, who was a Newark police officer for 22 years and now retired and owns his own security company. Davis, who was hired by the promoter, but has been hired by the owners of the Cameo before, said he greeted the Woodbridge police officers outside, and identified himself as head of security. He said six people were on security that night. "The problem is we were expecting the people at 8 p.m.," he said. "But since I guess the football game went to overtime, the crowd went from 20 on the line to 200 people around 11:30 p.m." The second incident occurred at 1:13 a.m. on Dec. 10. Police were dispatched to the Cameo on a report of aggravated assault, the police report said. Ptl. Edward Schiahetano and his partner Ptl. Anthony Penicaro testified on their involvement in the incident on Dec. 10. The two patrolmen were the first on scene. Two men were injured - a 21-year- old Elizabeth man was stabbed below the chest on his right side and a 24-year-old man was stomped on - during a large fight, police said. The board learned that the event was a night for unsigned R & B and Hip-Hop artists. When police arrived, they observed approximately 50 people screaming and running around in front of the Cameo. Schiahetano said the victim who was stabbed was 25 feet from the door. He said when he went inside, it looked like a big melee had occurred. "I observed broken bottles, overturned tables and chairs," he said. "Food remnants were on the floor, it was a big melee. The victim [who was stomped on] was semi-conscious and severely beaten. He could hardly speak." Both victims said they didn't know who attacked them. Even if the council allows the brothers to keep their liquor license, they will have to find a new home for the license. However, Dominick, who said he and his brother pay approximately $170,000 for the license, said the whole experience has likely second guessed them to stay in town. "My brother [who resides in Morris Plains] is having such a nervous break down over this," said Dominick, who resides in Pennsylvania. "I couldn't reach him to come to the hearing. He has canceled $80,000 worth of events that we had scheduled because he's nervous and doesn't want to do business in this town because of what's happened." The Dominick brothers had to vacate the Cameo's premises at 800 Rahway Avenue on Jan. 14 because a county Superior Court judge ordered an eviction notice, which was initiated by Laucyn Enterprises Inc. of Woodbridge, the owners of the Rahway Avenue property. The previous eviction notice was Jan. 31.