Birthday party at bar leads to fracas and 3 arrests.

LEOMINSTER - A fracas at a local bar during a 21st birthday celebration carried over to an apartment on Viscoloid Avenue in the early morning hours Saturday and resulted in the arrests of three men for allegedly threatening a young woman.

According to Leominster District Court documents, police received several calls with conflicting information early Saturday morning. The reports ranged from shots being fired at the Viscoloid Avenue address to a woman calling from a locked closet inside the apartment saying that she feared for her life.

Upon arrival, police were met by two men on motorcycles who said three other men had made their way into the apartment and were threatening the occupant, a young woman. The witnesses said the trio was behind the apartment building and preparing to leave in a black SUV.

Police saw a black Lincoln Navigator behind the building, with four men in it. Police told the driver to stop the vehicle, but he did not immediately do so. After being ordered again to stop, the driver complied and three of the four people in the SUV got out, police said. The fourth man, a passenger, ran from police. Several officers chased the man on foot and captured him.

Police interviewed the woman who called them. She told police she had been at Christopher's Pub earlier in the evening with several friends to celebrate one of the women's 21st birthday. A fight broke out among several women at the bar. The owner of the bar broke up the fight, and some of the birthday celebrants moved to the Viscoloid Avenue apartment. At the apartment, the woman told police, she called one of the women who remained at Christopher's. A man answered the cell phone and allegedly threatened to "come over and blast" the woman.

When the woman relayed to her friends at the apartment what had happened, they decided to leave. As they were preparing to leave, they were met at the door by three men who made their way into the apartment. That's when the woman grabbed her purse and cell phone and made her way to the closet, where she called police. Meanwhile, she said, the three alleged intruders began fighting with people in the apartment.

Police searched the area and the SUV for a weapon, but none was found.

After sorting through accounts of the story, police arrested three men shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday.

Julio F. Morales, 21, 126 Eighth St., Leominster, was charged with entering at night to commit a felony - placing a person in fear, and threatening to commit a crime (murder). The woman identified Mr. Morales as the man who allegedly threatened her on the cell phone. Lenard C. Chesson Jr., 22, 171 Fifth St., Apt. 3B, Leominster, who police say was driving the Navigator, was charged with failing to stop for police, entering at night to commit a felony - placing a person in fear. He was also placed in protective custody. Luis J. Ruiz, 22, 96 Mechanic St., Leominster, was charged with entering at night to commit a felony - placing a person in fear, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Police allege that Mr. Ruiz was the man who ran from them. The fourth man in the SUV was questioned, but was not charged.

All three men were arraigned Monday in Leominster District Court. Mr. Morales was ordered held without bail because of an outstanding case in Clinton District Court. Mr. Chesson was released on $1,000 cash bail and is due back in court July 9. Mr. Ruiz did not make his court appearance.