All Over Albany

APD: crazy fight outside Pearl Street bar

Albany police say a fight outside R Bar on Pearl Street in downtown Albany early Friday morning allegedly involved: a fight inside, a fight outside, a guy intentionally hit by a car (three times) and pinned against a garage door, BB gun shots fired, and a bar staff member stabbed in the back. Full press release, an a few more details, after the jump.

From the press release:

A fight at a downtown bar that spilled outside left one man with a stab wound to the back and another man with a fractured knee cap after he was intentionally hit by a car.

Police were called to the R bar at 55 North Pearl Street for two large groups fighting inside at approximately 1:15 a.m. this morning. According to witnesses the fight occurred inside the bar and was broken up by staff. One group was told to leave and they complied. Minutes later the second group was asked to leave the bar and they did.

Once outside both groups starting fighting again.

When officers arrived the fight had broken up but they located one victim who had been struck by a car and pinned against a garage door at 39 North Pearl Street.

Rahmel Fallen, 21, told officers that one of the men involved in the fight drove his car at him while he was walking away from the bar and hit him and pinned him against the garage door. The suspect then proceeded to back up and hit him two more times before driving away.

A driver for Capitaland Taxi witnessed the incident and followed the suspect's car onto I787. He called 911 on his cell phone and gave dispatchers a description and direction of the vehicle.

Officers were able to catch up to the car and pulled it over on I787 near exit 6. The driver of the car, Travis Andrews, of 1806 Lenox Street, was taken into custody. He was transported to Central Booking and charged with Assault 2nd, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation and Leaving the Scene of a Personal Injury Auto Accident.

According to witnesses during the course of the incident Andrews also fired several shots from a BB gun at the groups fighting. Officers recovered the gun inside of his car during the traffic stop.

Detectives discovered that a staff member involved in breaking up the fight inside the bar had been stabbed in the back by one of the combatants. Celshawn Banks, 28, of Slingerlands, sustained a two inch laceration to his back. He was treated and released from Albany Medical Center.

Fallen was taken to Albany Medical Center where doctors determined he sustained a fractured knee cap and bruising and abrasions.

Andrews was arraigned in Albany City Court this morning and remanded to Albany County Jail without bail.

The investigation is continuing and more charges are expected. SLA were notified and referred.

R Bar is the former Envy Lounge. And it's for sale. The agent representing the property told the Biz Review in December that the owner has had trouble shaking the bar's rep as a late-night place for a younger crowd. Here's the liquor license record for the bar.