Police: Spilled Drink at Bar Led to Beating Death

Portsmouth Police say a "spilled drink" led to the beating death of a Dover man at The Page Sports Bar and Restaurant and that the perpetrator actually bragged about how he delivered a 'haymaker" to the victim on Saturday night.

Zachary O'Neill, 24, of 12 New York St. in Dover was ordered held on $250,000 cash only bail after he was arrested for a felony count of first-degree assault on Tuesday night by New Hampshire State Police in Rochester.

Portsmouth Police Prosecutor David Colby said say in the back of the head at The Page on the dance floor of the Stadium Lounge on Saturday night at closing time "because he didn't want to wreck his evening."

Krantz refused medical treatment offered by The Page's security staff after O'Neill was escorted out of the establishment and was later taken home by some of his friends. Krantz later died after he sustained a fractured skull in the attack that resulted in an acute epidural hematoma.

Colby requested $250,000 cash only bail because of O'Neill's past criminal history and the likelihood that O'Neill could face second-degree or first-degree murder charges if the autopsy performed by the New Hampshire Medical Examiner's office rules Krantz's death a homicide.

"After the assault, he was indifferent to it," said Colby.

According to the affidavit filed by Portsmouth Police Det. Kristyn Rogers-Bernier, O'Neill told police, "I don't see what the big deal is... It was just a bar fight."

According to witnesses, O'Neill punched Krantz with a haymaker to the back of Krantz's head, which dropped him to the floor. O'Neill then proceeded to punch Krantz several more times before The Page security personnel pulled him off of Krantz.

Krantz's friend, Joshua Thorpe, told police that Krantz told him he was not feeling well after the assault and had nausea and a headache. Once back home, Krantz said he just wanted to go to sleep. Krantz's roommate Davis Drolet went into Krantz's room at 3 a.m. when he noticed that Krantz was snoring louder than usual. Later that morning, Drolet and Seth Crisp, Krantz's other roommate, found Krantz was covered in vomit and not breathing. Dover Fire Department EMTs responded and determined that Krantz had died.

Dover Police and Portsmouth Police detectives were able to identify O'Neill as the assailant from surveillance video shot at The Page at the time of the assault. O'Neill later admitted to Dover Police that he was at The Page, but he would not share any details about the assault. Several other witnesses told police they saw O'Neill punch Krantz in the back of the head and deliver subsequent blows to his head after Krantz fell the floor.

On Wednesday morning, O'Neill asked Judge Sawato Gardner if she would revoke the $400 cash bail for a previous disorderly conduct charge and four subsequent failure to appear charges in Portsmouth Circuit Court and the judge agreed. The disorderly conduct charge stemmed from a separate fight that O'Neill was involved in at the High Hanover Parking Garage in March 2012.

O'Neill is scheduled to return to Portsmouth Circuit Court for a probable cause hearing on April 17 at 8:30 a.m.

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