On August 2, 2024, a family gathering at Chickie’s & Pete’s in South Philly escalated into a large brawl, which resulted in five arrests.
The restaurant, located on the 1500 block of Packer Avenue, became the scene of a chaotic brawl, and the situation quickly got out of hand, needing police to step in.
Around 6 p.m., someone called the police, reporting loud screaming and a robbery alarm going off at the restaurant. When the cops arrived, they found two groups fighting, all because of some argument during the family gathering.
As the police tried to break up the fight, things got even crazier. A police sergeant, who wasn’t named, tried to arrest one of the men involved.
This man was later identified as 39-year-old Joseph Baldino, who lives nearby. Baldino didn’t go down without a fight and ended up hitting the sergeant in the face multiple times.
After some struggle, the officers finally managed to get Baldino under control and arrest him. However, he didn’t walk away unscathed—he got some facial injuries during the fight.
Baldino was taken to Methodist Hospital to get checked out. Afterward, he was charged with serious offenses like aggravated assault, simple assault, and other related charges because of what he did to the sergeant.
But Baldino wasn’t the only one in trouble. The police also arrested 68-year-old John Ciancaglini and his 62-year-old wife, Kathy Ciancaglini, who are both from South Philly. They were charged with disorderly conduct and criminal conspiracy.
Two brothers, 45-year-old Richard DiBella and 37-year-old Michael DiBella, were also involved. The DiBella brothers, from South Philly, were wanted by the police but later turned themselves in. Now, they’re facing similar charges for being part of the brawl.
The whole thing left the neighborhood pretty shaken, as a fight breaking out in a family-friendly place like Chickie’s & Pete’s isn’t something anyone expected. Adding to the fact a police officer got attacked while trying to do his job.
The charges, from aggravated assault to disorderly conduct, show just how serious things got that night.
The fight at Chickie’s & Pete’s was more than a family argument gone wrong—it turned into a full-blown legal mess.
As the cases move through the courts, people are keeping a close eye on what happens next, especially with the charges involving attacks on a police officer.
What should have been a regular family get-together turned into a night that these five people definitely won’t forget anytime soon.
