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Drunk, Off-Duty Cop Points Gun At Bouncers

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BERGEN COUNTY, NJ – A Bergen County Police officer was indicted on charges of pointing a handgun at two bouncers at the Cornerstone in Hillsdale while drunk and off-duty. David Vargas, 27, is charged with aggravated assault and unlawful weapons possession in connection with the March 6 incident.

It was late when Vargas left the restaurant and found his car blocked by an employee’s vehicle in an alleyway out back, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said.

David Vargas

Vargas “entered the kitchen area and told a worker to have the vehicle blocking his vehicle moved immediately or it would be towed,” the prosecutor said, noting that witnesses said the officer was told earlier that he might get boxed in if he parked there.

Two bouncers came outside, an argument followed, with Vargas pushing them first, Molinelli said. After he was pushed back, he went to his car and grabbed the gun, the prosecutor said.

“Several witnesses allege that Vargas was intoxicated,” Molinelli said. "Vargas walked over to the bouncers, pointed the handgun at them and ordered them to the ground.

“At that moment, a Hillsdale police officer was driving by and was waved over,” the prosecutor said. “Police took Vargas to headquarters, conducted an investigation and charged Vargas with aggravated assault by pointing the handgun.”

The case then went to a grand jury in Hackensack, which indicted Vargas on the fourth-degree aggravated assault charge and the second-degree weapons charge.

An arraignment is expected in Hackensack within a few weeks, Molinelli said.

Read the original story at CliffviewPilot.com