Rangers fans tell judge of beating

BY MENSAH M. DEAN, Daily News Staff Writer
Posted: March 23, 2012

THE OFF-DUTY South Jersey cop and a second man who were beaten bloody in January by a group of Flyers fans outside Geno's Steaks told a city judge Thursday how the melee erupted.

After testimony from Woodbridge cop Neal Auricchio and his friend Michael Janocko, and after viewing video of the Jan. 2 beatdown, Municipal Judge Nazario Jimenez Jr. held the alleged ringleader and lone defendant for trial on all charges.

Dennis Veteri, 32, of Glassboro, is charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. Veteri, who is out on bail, declined to speak after his preliminary hearing at the Criminal Justice Center. Janocko also declined to speak.

"I'm pleased with today," Auricchio said.

Authorities said Auricchio got the brunt of the beating from Veteri and two unidentified accomplices at 7:15 p.m. after the Flyers and New York Rangers' Winter Classic game.

Both victims testified that while waiting in line clad in Rangers jerseys at the South Philly sandwich shop, a man who had been washing windshields on the street sprayed them with a cleaning fluid and then walked over to a group of men that included Veteri and received payment for his deed.

Veteri and company - wearing Flyers jerseys - began to laugh, calling them names; someone said, "Go back to New York," Janocko testified.

After both camps exchanged words and Veteri's group flicked cigarettes in Janocko's face, Auricchio said, someone smacked Janocko's cap from his head, prompting others to spit and step on it.

"I told them they were scumbags for doing it," Janocko recalled saying.

Within seconds, Veteri took off his coat and he and others attacked Janocko then Auricchio, who were knocked unconscious, the video shows.

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