By Allison Steele
The Philadelphia Inquirer
PHILADELPHIA — Two Philadelphia police officers were arrested over the weekend in off-duty incidents, police said Monday.
About 3:30 a.m. Saturday, Officer Eliezer Morales, 25, was arrested on charges of making terroristic threats against an Atlantic City police officer after a boxing match at the Bally’s Wild West Casino.
Hours later, in South Philadelphia, Officer Lee Marrero was arrested on charges of driving under the influence.
Police said Morales, a three-year veteran of the department who is assigned to the West Philadelphia-based 16th District, got involved in a dispute over a request to leave the casino.
Boxer Gabriel Rosado of Philadelphia also was arrested and charged with punching the Atlantic City officer, Franco Sydnor.
Four other Philadelphia men were charged with making threats and related offenses in the fight: Felix Hernandez, 26; Jonathan Matos, 26; Raul Morales, 26; and Daniel Rosado, Gabriel Rosado’s brother.
According to police, Gabriel Rosado won a match Friday night but was later asked by Bally’s security to leave the casino along with a group of men accompanying him. As they were being escorted to the exit, several of the men, including Morales, yelled that they would assault Sydnor before he could call for backup.
Rosado punched Sydnor in the face, splitting his lip, and Daniel Rosado tried to grab Sydnor’s baton, police said. The men were subdued by police and security.
The second arrest took place shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday, when Marrero got into a car accident on the 900 block of East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia. Police said Marrero appeared to be impaired.
Marrero, 29, has been with the department for five years and was assigned to the 22d District, which covers part of North Philadelphia.
Both officers have been reassigned to administrative duties in the differential police response unit pending the outcome of their investigations. That unit handles dispatches to crime scenes and radio communications, among other duties.
Copyright 2011 Philadelphia Newspapers