3 arrested after 'swinging chairs and smashing plates' in Southampton restaurant kitchen, cops say

Three bar patrons at a Southampton restaurant were arrested Saturday night after they entered the kitchen and threatened employees with knives "while swinging chairs and smashing plates," police said.

The incident occurred at Cabana Latina on Montauk Highway at 10:25 p.m., Southampton Town police said. All three suspects fled the scene before police arrived, but were arrested during a traffic stop.

Arrested were Vitor Goncalves-Esteves, 31, of Port Jefferson Station; Prisciliano Cruz, 32, of Medford; and Nelson Esteves, 25, of Hampton Bays, police said.

Goncalves-Esteves was charged with driving while intoxicated, second-degree assault, criminal possession of a weapon, fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree menacing, police said.

He was released on $500 bail, police said.

Cruz was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief and was later released on his own recognizance.

Esteves was charged with second-degree menacing, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was released on $250 bail.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”