Pro wrestler Jim “Sandman” Fullington’s shocking, glass-throwing melee at a Yonkers restaurant might have been avoided if the eatery owner had heeded pleas to cut the booze-loving grappler off at the bar, friends of the wrestling bad boy said yesterday.
La Lanterna restaurant owner Ralph “TJ” Tarone made the situation worse, the pals said, by “antagonizing” Fullington and shattering a beer bottle in the wrestler’s face.
The claims came as Fullington, 45, yesterday made a brief appearance in Yonkers Criminal Court on a slew of charges stemming from the fracas, which erupted Sunday night during a 75th-birthday bash for wrestling icon Capt. Lou Albano.
Fullington’s hearing was postponed until today after prosecutors said they were waiting to get the mat man’s rap sheet to determine how much bail to ask for.
The wrestler – who also allegedly fought with the cops who eventually arrested him – is charged with felony assault and criminal mischief, as well as reckless endangerment and resisting arrest.
Meanwhile, Fullington’s camp may file a complaint with cops against Tarone, Captain Lou’s niece, Kami Albano, told The Post.
“The fight was both their faults, and TJ should have been arrested, too, ” she said. The owner, she said, “ignored” her requests to stem the tide of alcohol at the bash.
“Around 4:30, I went to him and asked him to please stop serving drinks to Sandman, as well as a few other guys who’d had a lot,” said Albano.
“I also went to the bartender and asked that anyone who was drinking hard liquor be cut off,” she said. “They ignored our wishes.”
At around 8 p.m., Tarone “got up in Sandman’s face,” said a witness.
Another party guest said a “loud and belligerent” Fullington flew into a blind rage and went after Tarone.
Yesterday, Fullington’s lawyer, John Lewis, said his client was “doing fine – about the same as anyone would be in this stressful situation.”
Public records show the former Extreme Championship Wrestling star has done jail time, and has DUI and reckless-driving charges in his home state of Pennsylvania. He also has faced traffic charges in California.
Tarone recently had a pistol permit revoked by Westchester authorities, records show. He did not respond to messages left for him, and La Lanterna workers declined comment.