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CT Couple Arrested After Crab Leg Battle at Buffet

By Ephrat Livni, Esq. on April 05, 2016 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

People can get pretty picky about their food, or rather, crabby. A couple in Connecticut was arrested this weekend after a dispute over crab legs at a buffet turned into a battle between patrons involving assault, disorderly conduct, threats, and pepper spray.

The couple is out on a bail bond now and will be back in court in mid-April, according to the Associated Press. Meanwhile, a young man who is unrelated to them had a split lip and lost a tooth when he was hit in the face during the dispute. His mother used pepper spray to stop the brawl, but Fox News reports that this was only after her son was hurt. She was not charged with a crime.

Two Suits?

Although details in the media reports on the crab leg scuffle are limited, it looks like the young man in this story might have a good basis for a personal injury suit, regardless of the outcome of the criminal prosecution, as evidenced by his dislodged tooth. It is not completely clear how the young man, 21, got involved in the kerfuffle. All that is publicly known for now is that a verbal altercation over crab legs turned into a big fight.

The young man's mother reportedly sprayed his attackers with pepper spray but the act was deemed defensive by police. Thus, the youth's alleged attacker, Clifford Knight, 45 -- who was charged with assault after the battle -- may also face a civil suit to recover for damages.

Booked and Released

Clifford Knight was booked and released on a $5,000 bond, with orders to reappear in court on April 14. He was charged with assault in the third-degree and disorderly conduct. His wife, Latoya Knight, 38, was also arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and making threats. She is out on a $2500 bond.

The restaurant, Royal Buffet in Manchester. although visited by health inspectors after the pepper spraying, was open for business the following day. It's difficult to say whether this incident will prove positive for the Royal Buffet, but it's possible. Those must have been some delicious crab legs.

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