Police: MMA Fighter Assaults Officers Outside Bar

Police said three officers were injured early Friday morning during an altercation outside Taggart's Pub on Patterson Road in Dayton.

An officer was at Taggart's on a criminal damaging complaint when he saw a vehicle pull up nearby with three men inside. A man identified as Nikolaos Boscarino, 28, reportedly got out and started to urinate in some bushes. When the officer, Donnie Smith, approached Boscarino, he began assaulting him, according to police.

Smith called for help and officers from all over the city responded. Boscarino, who according to police is a registered Mixed Martial Arts fighter with a 3-13 record, managed to get the officer's Taser before he was taken into custody, but was not able to use it.

News Center 7's John Bedell discovered through some research that Boscarino had a similar run in with police in December of 2007 at Hammerjax bar in downtown Dayton. He was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest following that disturbance.

"(It was) an extremely violent fight with the suspect," said Lt. Wendy Stiver, of the Dayton Police Department. "The suspect had assaulted him and had taken his Taser. Because the suspect took the officer's Taser or attempted to take the officer's weapon from him he's being charged with aggravated robbery."

Boscarino, who police said was likely drunk at the time of the alleged assault, is facing four counts of felonious assault and other charges. He is schedule to be in court Monday.

The other two men who were in the vehicle were not involved in the assault, but were arrested. Anthony Ballard, 30, and Mo Rashad, 34, are facing obstruction of justice charges. Rashad was also charged with resisting arrest.

Three officers were injured in the incident, but two were immediately treated and released at the hospital.

According to a police incident report, Smith was taken to Miami Valley Hospital, where he was treated and released.