FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) — Dirty Blondes Sports Bar has terminated three bouncers involved in an altercation with two patrons that was caught on cell phone video and went viral.
The bar's management released a statement that read, "Since the security of our patrons and staff is of utmost importance, we have hired additional police detail officers for the immediate future. An interview process to determine the retention of an outside security agency will commence next week when the owners return to Florida."
Thirty-year-old Arnald Thomas-Darrah, one of the two bouncers who were captured on cell phone video beating two men were charged with one count of aggravated battery. The other, 35-year-old Jovan Ralfhel Dean, was charged with misdemeanor battery.
The altercation started last Sunday, at around 7 p.m., when 29-year-old Alexander Coelho and 27-year-old David Parker were hanging out with friends at the bar. According to the victims' account, they sent a drink back, which led to an argument with the bartender and got the group kicked out of the premises.
Police said Parker had returned to the bar to challenge the bouncers to a fight. The video shows one of the security workers grabbing Parker. Coelho then turns to his right to look, and that's when a second bouncer leans over and punches him. The footage captures Coelho stumbling back to the ground. The same bouncer is then shown stomping his foot on Coelho's face.
Coelho and Parker were arrested after police arrived on the scene. On Coehlo's arrest report, Officer Marc Decarlo wrote he saw Coelho and Parker bleeding and screaming at staffers. According to Decarlo, the irate customer refused his orders to stop yelling and kept making physical threats to bar employees. Coelho, Decarlo continued, then approached him and "pushed and shoved this officer in the chest." Coelho was charged with battery on a police officer and disorderly conduct.
The footage of the fight, however, prompted a boycott of the bar on Facebook in addition to Sunday's protest. A representative for Dirty Blondes issued a statement initially posted on the bar's Facebook page which reads in part, "While we do not condone the actions displayed in the 15-second video circulating, no further statements on what led up to, during or after the incident ensued will be issued until we review the matter internally with all parties involved."
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