LEWISTON – An incident outside a local club Friday night sent one woman to the hospital less than a day after the club owner and police promised to clamp down on disturbances.

Jody Simpson, 27, of Jean Street, received eight stitches near her eye to close a gash that she got outside Club Adrenalin on Park Street. Simpson and her sister, Jami Poussard, and a friend had left the club just after 1 a.m. when they were approached by three men who were “horsing around,” said Poussard.

One of the men approached Simpson, offering her a piggyback ride, which she declined. But, according to Poussard, the man picked up her 175-pound sister anyway.

“I didn’t see him drop her, but he picked her up and I think he tripped,” said Poussard, who turned to see her sister face down on the sidewalk. “We thought she was joking around, but when we went to pick her up, there was blood coming out of her face.”

Police, who were responding to a disturbance call outside the club, saw Poussard and Simpson and called for an ambulance. The three men, whom Poussard said had been inside the club earlier, took off. She is offering a $100 reward to anyone who can provide information identifying the men.

“I want to press charges; my sister was hurt,” said Poussard.

Police Chief William Welch and club owner Carmine Cartonio were both quoted in a Friday news story saying that the problems that plagued the Cellar Door in Auburn and led to its eventual closure would not be repeated in Lewiston. Cartonio said he planned to increase the size of his security staff and would tolerate no disturbances by club patrons. Welch said his department was meeting with club owners, emphasizing that problems outside the clubs are the responsibility of the club owners.

“If (patrons) are causing a disturbance around you, you are the problem. It doesn’t matter if they are in your club at the time or not,” Welch was quoted as saying.

Cartonio said the incident happened at the other end of the block, beyond what he can reasonably control.

“People have to take some responsibility themselves,” said Cartonio. “When people horse around, fall, get hurt, they want to point a finger.”

He said he intends to ask Welch to post cruisers at both ends of his block at closing time to help crowd control.

Poussard said she wanted police to pursue the three men immediately, but maintained she was told to calm down and “to sober up” by responding officer Patrolman Kenneth Strout. Poussard said she and her sister and friend had been at the club for about an hour enjoying a few drinks and dancing.

“I was shaken up, but not belligerent … I don’t think I was out of line,” she said. She considered filing a complaint with Strout’s supervisor, but late Saturday night said she had decided against it.

Simpson went to the police station Saturday afternoon, where her photo was taken. She was unable to provide a description of the three men, but Sgt. David St. Pierre said police are looking into the incident. He said criminal charges would depend on whether the behavior of the man who dropped her was reckless or just an accident.

Poussard said she and her friend can describe the three men and will pass the information on to police. The one who dropped Simpson is 6 feet tall, husky, about 185-190 pounds, brown hair, wearing a light blue shirt and wire-rimmed glasses. Another was about 5 feet, 7 inches tall, wore all black clothes and had bleached blond hair. The other man was 5 feet, 7 inches tall, about 170 pounds, with a shaved head or buzz cut, gray shirt and goatee. All were between 25 and 32 years old, said Poussard.

Anyone with information regarding the identity of the men can call Poussard at 713-0763.

Copy the Story Link