Local youth injured in brawl; two arrested
BY BRYAN SABELLA
Staff Writer
EDISON — A brawl between youths from Edison and Highland Park left two young men hospitalized with serious injuries, and police have made two arrests in the case.
At 8:57 p.m. March 10, Edison police received a call regarding an altercation involving numerous individuals at the Edison Jets football field on Central Avenue, authorities said.
Responding officers found only two individuals at the scene, Gabriel Rosa, 18, Highland Park, and one juvenile, whose name and residence were not released.
Rosa suffered severe head injuries, including a skull fracture and a fracture of the right arm, and was hospitalized in the intensive care unit at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick.
On Monday, Rosa remained in critical condition in the intensive care unit of the hospital.
The juvenile sustained facial and neck injuries and was also taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. He was released Friday.
Joseph Anis, 18, Edison, was arrested on Friday and charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon in connection with the incident.
He is accused of striking Rosa numerous times about the head and body with a baseball bat, according to police.
He was held on $250,000 bail.
According to the criminal complaint filed against him, Anis not only participated in but also helped organize the fight pitting juveniles and young adults from Edison against juveniles and young adults from Highland Park.
A 15-year-old juvenile from Edison was also arrested in connection with the incident and charged with aggravated assault. According to a statement released by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office on Monday, the juvenile allegedly hit Rosa in the head and torso with a skateboard.
The investigation is ongoing, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Anyone with information regarding the fight is asked to contact Lt. Geoffrey Kerwin of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3300 or Sgt. Joseph Shannon of the Edison Police Department at (732) 248-7400.