For the second time in two years, former Penn State and Hoboken High School quarterback Rashard Casey, of Jackson Street, was arrested outside a Hoboken bar. Casey was arrested Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 2:48 a.m. out side of Bar None at 84 Washington St., according to a police record.
According to one published report, the police were called the Bar None at 1:54 a.m. to deal with a possible altercation outside the building, and the owner told police that he wanted to sign complaints against two individuals outside the bar. When Officer John Hermann tried to arrest one of them, Casey allegedly tried to push his way between the two, attempting to stop the arrest, according to that report.
According to police records, the police arrested Casey after the incident and charged him with the misdemeanor crime of "obstructing administration of law or other governmental function." State statute describes the offense as one who purposely obstructs, impairs or perverts the administration of law or other governmental function or prevents or attempt to prevent a public servant from lawfully performing an official function by means of flight, intimidation, force, violence, or physical interference or by means of any independently unlawful act.
Casey was taken to One Police Plaza and was released with a summons.
Last October, a Hudson County grand jury decided that there was not enough evidence to hand down an indictment against Casey for his part in an incident outside the River Street nightclub on May 14, 2000, when Hoboken police officer Patrick Fitzsimmons was beaten severely and repeatedly kicked in the head and face. Another former HHS football player was charged in the attacks.
In May of this year, Casey filed a lawsuit against the Hoboken Police Department stating that several members of the department caused anguish to him and his family after he was arrested. Fitzsimmons had filed his own civil suit against Casey, against former classmate Desmond Miller, and Syracuse safety and former Hoboken football player Keeon Walker, who was at the scene at the time of the fight but was never charged with criminal wrongdoing. In fact, it has been reported that Walker actually tried to stop the incident.
Neither Casey nor his attorney Dennis McAlevy of Union City could be reached for comment Friday. Police Chief Carmen LaBruno did not return a phone call by press time.
Casey graduated from Penn State in May. Despite the promising prospects he had when he entered the school, he is not playing football at this time.