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.