Hoboken’s Leprecon Pub Crawl Marred by Aggravated Assault
Hoboken’s annual St. Patrick’s Day ritual known as Leprecon concluded early Sunday morning, March 6, as a former college football player was charged with assaulting two police officers. Christopher Smallwood, 24, a former running back at Delaware Valley State University, was fleeing the scene of a fight that had broken out at a McDonald’s on Washington Street around 2:30 a.m. He is accused of breaking three of Ofc. Christine Collins’ ribs and separating Sgt. Steve Aguiar’s shoulder as he tried to “run over” the officers. Smallwood evaded capture but turned himself in later that day.
The officers were treated at Hoboken University Medical Center and released. Both expect to miss work due to their injuries.
The pub crawl known as Leprecon, which began five years ago, draws thousands of participants. Unfortunately, it also involves rampant drunkenness, which can lead to violence. The rowdy atmosphere has prompted Hoboken to hire additional officers from nearby towns, such as Union City and North Bergen, as well as Hudson County, at a cost of about $110,000. This year, 15 Leprecon revelers were arrested in Hoboken.
Hoboken is certainly not the only community where St. Patrick’s Day alcohol consumption gets out of hand. At this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Boston, police issued 498 citations for drinking in public and made 10 arrests. Like Mr. Smallwood, those revelers headed out to have a good time — and are now looking at harsh consequences for foolish choices.
The charges Mr. Smallwood faces are very serious. Aggravated assault is a crime in New Jersey, meaning it’s a felony-level offense, punishable by a year or more in state prison and thousands of dollars in fines. If Mr. Smallwood has a clean record, a capable criminal defense attorney may be able to get the charges reduced significantly. For defense to assault charges in New Jersey, speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney at the Law Office of David J. Glassman. You can reach us online or at 866-221-1270.