Man Uses Machete After Altercation at Rubber Ave. Bar

One man hit another with the side of a machete after an altercation at a bar on Rubber Avenue over the weekend that led to the arrests of four people, police said.

Mario Rios, 40, of 85 Aetna St., is accused of striking a man with a machete on his back after the man and two others ridiculed him at The Eleven Bar & Grille at 173 Rubber Ave. Saturday, police said.

Rios said a man approached him and asked, “Do you like me?” Rios said he was not gay but respected gay people and told the man to watch his mouth, according to a police report. Rios told police that the men continued to whistle at him and called him “baby,” so Rios left the bar, got in his van and drove away.

Rios said he went back and parked in front of the bar because he said his wife was heading to the bar.

“We don’t know exactly what he did when he left, but he told us he came right back,” Lt. Bryan Cammarata, police spokesman, said.

When Rios returned, the men came out of the bar and Rios asked them, “What’s wrong with you?” Rios then started to run away, at which point one of the men broke the windows of his van, Rios told police.

Rios then called police about 1 a.m. Police arrived and spotted three men walking down Rubber Avenue. One of the men, Wayne Zabilski, 34, of 25 Orchard Terrace, told police that Rios hit him in the back with a machete after the men saw Rios running on Aetna Street, police said.

Luke Ashmore, 34, and Christopher Fox, 35, both of 360 High St., were with Zabilski.

Police said they saw Rios’ van windows were smashed, and learned Ashmore, Zabilski and Fox were the men who approached Rios at the bar. Police said Zabilski broke the windows.

Police said they found a machete the size and shape of the mark on Zabilski’s back.

“We still don’t know exactly what caused the altercation,” Cammarata said.

Police charged Rios with first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree assault, carrying a dangerous weapon and threatening. Police charged Zabilski, Ashmore and Fox with breach of peace, while Zabilski was also charged with third-degree criminal mischief.

Rios appeared Monday at Waterbury Superior Court where he did not enter a plea. The three others are due to appear at the courthouse today.