An unusual bar fight erupted at Madsion Avenue early Saturday morning — over the difference in a brand of beer.
A female dancing at Mad Ave at 624 University Ave. bumped into suspect Manuel Cardenas, 30, of Sun Prairie, at a little past midnight, according to the incident report.
The female apparently spilled her drink on Cardenas, who was quickly enflamed and demanded that the 20-year-old male accompanying the female buy him a beer, Lt. Dave McCaw of the Madison Police Department said.
Although Mad Ave allows patrons 18 years of age or older to enter the nightclub, the victim — who was underage — was able to purchase a drink at the bar, McCaw added.
“Unfortunately, the drink was the wrong type,” McCaw said. “It was Coors Light, not Bud Light. The suspect then took a sharp object to the throat of the victim.”
Apparently, Cardenas took the sharp object from the victim’s throat and ultimately left a very small cut on the victim’s hand, McCaw said, adding the sharp object in the suspect’s pocket was later identified as a glass shard from a broken beer bottle.
Although MPD was called to the scene and Cardenas was charged with second-degree reckless endangering safety and is currently in the Dane County Jail, Mad Ave risks being charged with possible liquor violations from the City Attorney’s Office for allegedly serving an underage patron, said Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4.
Mad Ave was granted an underage entertainment license by the city to provide entertainment to the 18-and-over crowd, Verveer said. However, because the nightclub has a liquor license, it is easier for underage patrons to receive alcohol.
“If (the victim is underage), and there is solid evidence in the (police) report, I would be surprised if the City Attorney’s Office did not pursue Mad Ave for this incident,” Verveer said.
Katherine Plominski, alcohol policy coordinator for the city of Madison, said issuing an underage drinking violation is a discretionary act by the MPD, but she assumes the city attorney will review the report and act on the issue.
The City Attorney’s Office has yet to receive the police report regarding the incident.
Mad Ave management could not be reached for comment as of press time.
