Bergen County Cop Knocked Out Man At NJ Steakhouse, Leading To Cover Up, Prosecutor Says

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A police officer in Bergen County has been charged with aggravated assault after a man was knocked unconscious outside a steakhouse in Park Ridge, prosecutors said Friday. Another police officer has been charged in the cover-up, they said.

Nicholas K. Dispoto, 31, of Hillsdale was charged with aggravated assault on Friday, said the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office. Dispoto, an officer with the Montvale Police Department, was off duty at the time, prosecutors said.

Jason R. Vradenburg, 28, of Park Ridge was charged in connection with the incident. Vradenburg, and officer with the Park Ridge Police Department, was also off duty, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said that on Dec. 6 of last year, Park Ridge police responded to a "disturbance in progress" in front of the Park Ridge Steakhouse.

They found a man on the ground with an apparent head injury, prosecutors said. He was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, and released days later.

When the Park Ridge Police Department began investigating, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Confidential Investigations Unit was notified, prosecutors said. The Prosecutor's Office took over the investigation.

They determined that Dispoto was involved in the incident that led to the victim's injuries.

Prosecutors determined that he hid inside the steakhouse when police arrived.

Prosecutors said that Vradenburg, as well as Marina L. McGee and Thomas M. Schiavone, provided police with false information to hide Dispoto's involvement in the incident.

Dispoto was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree aggravated assault, third-degree endangering an injured victim, and fourth-degree obstructing the administration of law, prosecutors said.

Vradenburg was arrested Thursday and charged with third-degree endangering an injured victim, third-degree tampering with public records, and fourth-degree hindering apprehension of another.

Both men were released to await a Superior Court appearance.

McGee and Schiavone were each charged with fourth-degree hindering and await a Superior Court appearance, prosecutors said.