Two face resisting arrest charges after Scranton bar incident

May 24—Two men face resisting arrest and other charges after Scranton police responded to a downtown bar over the weekend for a report of two disorderly patrons, one armed with a hatchet.

Aqqal Hakim Goding, 46, 1316 Prospect Ave., Scranton, and Travis Landon Winston, 29, 1525 Walton Ave., Bronx, New York, were taken into custody late Saturday outside Bartari, 101 Adams Ave.

Several officers converged on the bar shortly before 11 p.m. after an altercation that began when employees told the men to leave after a female patron complained that Goding rubbed his hand on her thigh and made inappropriate comments to her, according to arrest papers.

Goding then pulled out a hatchet and tapped it on a bar table, police said. A bar employee was hit in the face as he tried to escort Goding from the establishment.

Goding and Winston, who identified themselves as brothers, were exiting Bartari as officers arrived, police said.

Bar employees identified Goding as the individual with the hatchet, and an officer removed a black hatchet with a green paracord-wrapped handle that he had in a sheath attached to his belt, police said.

After ignoring a police request that he call for a ride and leave, Winston scuffled with other officers before he was handcuffed, police said. A large knife was found concealed in the rear waistband of his pants.

"I swear I am going to kill you," Winston told an officer as he was searched, according to the arrest affidavit.

In the meantime, Goding told police if they were taking Winston, they would have to take him, too, but he also resisted when officers tried to handcuff him, police said.

Police charged Winston with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, terroristic threats, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.

Goding was charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, harassment and public drunkenness.

They were arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Paul Ware and held in Lackawanna County Prison when they could not post $10,000 bail each. Their preliminary hearings are scheduled 10 a.m. June 2.

Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9132