NEW BERLIN – Former Town of New Berlin Police Chief Richard P. Kellar pleaded guilty to a violation last Thursday, nearly 18 months since his arrest outside a South New Berlin bar for allegedly assaulting a 42-year-old patron while off duty.

Chenango County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 44-year-old Kellar at 1:30 a.m. Oct. 30, 2008 and charged him with third degree assault, a misdemeanor.

Kellar was the town’s police chief at the time and the original charge accused him of injuring a man during a fist fight outside of the Southtown Pub. The fight resulted in both of the victim’s arms being fractured, according to the Assigned Special Prosecutor Paul Tomkins of Binghamton.

In court last week, Tomkins said that according to doctor’s reports, the victim sustained those injuries after he fell during the altercation and that they were not a direct result of Kellar striking the man.

In a telephone interview with The Evening Sun in December of 2008, the alleged victim in the case said he was drinking at the time and interacted with a female friend of Kellar’s inside the bar prior to the fight. He asked not to be identified, citing fear of reprisal from law enforcement.