Fight between firefighters following Sea Bright, New Jersey wetdown caught on video. Clip from firehouse bar shown at trial.
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On Thursday, we told you about the fight between firefighters from the Sea Bright Fire Department in New Jersey that occurred inside the firehouse last October 9 that has now gone to trial. The battle pitted two brother firefighters, Peter and Steven Lang, against another firefighter, Justin Hughes. It happened after the wetdown celebration and water fight pictured in the video above.
At Thursday's hearing, a different video was featured. It reportedly shows the firefighters going at it. It comes from a department surveillance camera mounted inside the firehouse bar.
According to an article by Dustin Racioppa at redbankgreen.com, the video first shows Steven Lang and Hughes getting into a shoving match at the bar at 8:41 PM. But municipal prosecutor Mike Halfacre said things calmed down when someone else broke up the fight.
Reporter Racioppa says volunteer firefighter Aaron Rock testified that Lang left the building after telling Hughes that they should go outside and handle this. Here's more from Racioppa's article:
That’s when Lang’s brother, Peter, 33, approached Hughes and said something to the effect of, “If you have a problem with my brother, you have a problem with me,” Rock told the court.
“At that point he lunged at Justin,” said Rock, who is also a patrolman in Monmouth Beach police.
Which is what the video showed. Steven Lang had by then — at 8:43 p.m. — re-entered the bar and joined in what Halfacre called a “scrum” in a corner of the lounge, and “Steven Lang came into view and the two Lang brothers essentially have Hughes surrounded.”
Steven Lang then put Hughes in a headlock, which is when Rock tried to break up the fight. Another firefighter, Patrick “P.J.” Covert, broke Steven Lang away from Hughes, and almost simultaneously Peter Lang took Hughes down to the ground, and said, “Did you have enough or do you want me to choke you out?” Covert said.
Hughes went for medical help that night. According to the article, the injuries have kept Hughes from firefighting since that night. A report filed with police the next day resulted in the simple assault charges against the Lang brothers that brought this trial. Steven Lang then filed harassment and disorderly conduct charges against Hughes.
The trial has been continued until June 16. Fire department promotions for both of the Lang brothers have been held up because of the court case.This leaves the ranks of assistant chief and second lieutenant unfilled in the Sea Bright Fire Department.
