Waterford Man Arrested For Motorcycle Club Stabbing

A second man wanted by the New London Police Department in connection with a Sept. 22 stabbing at a downtown motorcycle club has surrendered to police.

Deputy Chief Peter Reichard said Juan Baptista-Roman, 31, of 5 Lorenzo Street in Waterford, turned himself in at the police department headquarters at about 10:30 p.m. on Sunday. A warrant was issued for Baptista-Roman's arrest on Friday, charging first-degree assault and carrying a dangerous weapon.

Baptista-Roman's brother, 34-year-old Jose Roman of 241 Elm Street, was arrested on Saturday evening on the same charges. Both men are accused of involvement in a stabbing that occurred during a brawl at the Wild Style Motorcycle Club. Roman is the club's president and Baptista-Roman is vice president.

Police received a report of a stabbing at 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 22 and found 26-year-old Anthony Swift of New London suffering from multiple wounds caused by an edged weapon. The injuries were considered life-threatening, and Swift was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital for emergency surgery. He has since recovered and been released.

Police determined that the stabbing occurred during a fight at the club, which is located on the lower level of 130 Bank Street with frontage on South Water Street. The fight began inside the club and extended out into the parking lot and South Water Street. Also injured were Jairo Perez, 28, of Guilford, who suffered several head and facial injuries after being struck by a large wooden object; Henry Albino, 31, of New London, who had lacerations to his face and ear; and Miguel Albino, 33, of New London, who suffered a possible broken leg while trying to run from the site. All three men were treated and released from Lawrence & Memorial Hospital.

The clubhouse was shut down on the order of the city's zoning enforcement officer, who said it did not have a proper permit to run a club at the location. The correspondence involved in the cease and desist order is included on the agenda for a special meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday.

Baptista-Roman's only criminal history in Connecticut is a misdemeanor charge of driving under suspension from last year. Roman has a felony criminal conviction of sale of hallucinogenic or narcotic drugs. He was sentenced in January of 2010 to three years in prison, suspended after one year, with three years of probation. He also has a total of five misdemeanor convictions on motor vehicle, drug possession, and breach of peace charges.

The men are each being held on a $400,000 bond and are scheduled to make their initial court appearances this morning at the G.A. 10 Courthouse.

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