BOSTON, Nov. 18, 2013—A Newton man was arraigned today on charges he stabbed a bar employee after a failed attempt to cut the line at a downtown bar, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

PETER DAMELIO (D.O.B. 9/11/75) was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery.  Assistant District Attorney Ian Leson requested that bail for Damelio be set at $25,000 and that his bail be revoked in an open case out of Somerville District Court charging him with drug offenses.  Judge Mark Hart Summerville set bail in the amount of $15,000 and revoked Damelio’s bail.

According to prosecutors, Boston Police officers responded to the scene of a stabbing outside Coogan’s Bar on Milk Street shortly after 12:30 a.m. Sunday.  Officers were told that a man later identified as Damelio attempted to gain entry into the bar but was told by a bouncer that he would have to wait in line.  Damelio proceeded to the end of the line but returned a short time later and tried to cut in line.  He allegedly told the bouncer, “I’m not one of these local punks, I’m from the North End,” prosecutors said.

A second staff member came to the entrance to assist with Damelio, who was with a second individual.  That person did not have proper identification and the two were denied entry.  Prosecutors said that Damelio became enraged and punched the employee in the face repeatedly.  The bouncer, a 26-year-old West Roxbury man, intervened, at which point Damelio allegedly stabbed him in the torso. He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment and is expected to survive his injury.

Damelio allegedly fled on foot with witnesses in pursuit. One of those witnesses watched him jump in a Metro Cab taxi and was able to note the medallion number, which he provided to Boston Police, prosecutors said.

After speaking with Metro Cab personnel, police were able to locate the cab in question on Chelsea Street in Charlestown and initiated a traffic stop.  Damelio was found sitting in the cab’s backseat with a knife on the floor by his feet, prosecutors said.

Three witnesses were separately transported to the location of the traffic stop and positively identified Damelio as the assailant, prosecutors said.

Damelio is represented by Timothy Nolan.  He will return to court on Dec. 13.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.