Arrest made in stabbing in brawl at Huntington restaurant

One man is under arrest for stabbing another man during a brawl outside a Huntington restaurant that at one point involved more than 100 party-goers gathered for a Cinco de Mayo celebration, police said.

A woman also was arrested after police said she punched an officer who responded to the scene of the melee.

The disturbance took place as party-goers were leaving Pancho Villas restaurant at 311 New York Avenue at about 12:30 a.m. Thursday, Suffolk County police said.

It was then, police said, a verbal altercation broke out between Wesley Erickson, 26, of 55 Cedar Drive, Huntington, and Ryan DiPaolo, 21. Police said Erickson stabbed DiPaolo, then fled.

DiPaolo was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated and later released, police said.

Erickson was apprehended a short time after the stabbing — and was charged with second-degree assault and resisting arrest. He is scheduled for arraignment Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip.

Police said Erickson also had an outstanding warrant issued in Pennsylvania seeking his arrest on a parole violation.

Another patron, Matia Branch, 24, of 201 Sagaponack Court, Melville, also was arrested following the free-for-all — after police said she punched an officer. She was charged with second-degree harassment and resisting arrest.

She also is scheduled for arraignment Thursday.

At 1 a.m., the intersection of Main Street and New York Avenue was completely shut down and more than 20 Suffolk police patrol cars had cordoned off the area. Dozens of onlookers who had spilled out of nearby restaurants and bars and were directed away from an area in front of the restaurant, which is north of Main Street.

Several ambulances were also at the scene.

Police officers said the melee started late Wednesday between several groups of people outside the eatery in a special tented area set up for the large Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Officers said there were fights throughout the night and the main fight spilled into the middle of the street, at which point officers called for backup sometime around midnight.