Diner incident leads to arrest

EDISON — Police arrested a township man on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after an incident at a Route 27 diner last week.

Patrolman Robert Dudash said officers Robert Duffy and Victor Aravena went into the Plaza Diner for their dinner break around 5 a.m. Aug. 21.

When Duffy went to the restroom, he passed a booth where Michael Nemeth, 19, was sitting, Dudash said.

Aravena noticed that Nemeth made vulgar comments and a profane gesture as Duffy passed, Dudash said.

Both officers then confronted Nemeth, who became belligerent, Dudash said.

The officers asked him to leave the diner and he refused and began cursing at the officers, according to the police report.

As Duffy and Aravena attempted to escort him out, Nemeth allegedly pulled away, flailing his arms and struck Aravena in the chest with an elbow, Dudash said.

Both officers wrestled Nemeth to the ground, where he continued to resist, but was eventually cuffed.

"They determined there was the smell of an alcoholic beverage on his breath and he appeared to be intoxicated," Dudash said.

Nemeth was also charged with consumption of alcohol by a minor.

A warrant for Nemeth for contempt of court in Camden was subsequently discovered.

Nemeth was held at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center on $5,000 bail.

—Bryan Sabella