Owner of Popular Restaurant Facing Charges for October Violations

A criminal investigation into violations discovered at Machiavelli’s Restaurant on Center Street in Southington has led to charges against the owner after police said Thursday that he acted recklessly and dangerously in locking a back door, putting his patrons at risk.

The restuarant and bar is a popular draw in the area, bringing residents from surrounding towns including Cheshire to downtown Southington.

Officers took Spendi Bomova, of 14 Rosemont Ave., into custody at his restaurant early Thursday morning. He was booked on one charge of first-degree reckless endangerment and released after posting a $5,000 non-surety bond.

Bomova is due in Bristol Superior Court for arraignment on Jan. 28.

The charges stem from a criminal investigation initiated after an inspection in October 2012 at the 75 Center St. restaurant revealed multiple safety and liquor violations, police said.

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“During the inspection, the establishment was found to be overcrowded,” Sgt. Jeffrey Dobratz said in a press release Thursday. “The rear exit door of the establishment was found to be padlocked shut with sliding bolt locking device and a padlock. This locked door was the only means of exiting the establishment from the rear in the event of an emergency.”

Dobratz said in October that the Southington Police Department, in partnership with the Connecticut State Liquor Commission and the Southington Fire Department, conducted an unannounced inspection on Oct. 13, 2012.

According to police reports from the inspection, officials discovered multiple violations including the following:

• Refilling Liquor Bottles
• Definition of Restaurant Permit (No Dining Room)
• Fire Safety (Overcrowding; Locking of Fire Door)
• No Age Statement Forms
• No Permittee Name Sign
• Sanitation - Liquor Bottles
• Sanitation - Women's Bathroom- no hand drying unit
• Impaired Second Exit: (Back exit, second means of egress was dead bolted and locked with a padlock).
• Excessive Occupancy: The number of patrons in the bar area exceeded the allowable limits.
• Emergency Illumination: a majority of the emergency lighting was not functioning properly or did not function at all.

Bomova claimed following the incident that the liquor violations were a misunderstanding as the unmarked bottles were used in cooking, not in serving drinks. He added that the door was unintentionally left locked and is kept locked during non-business hours because of issues involving people entering from the rear.

He could not be immediately reached for comment on Thursday morning.

Deputy Fire Marshal Hal Ballard told the Record-Journal in October that following the inspection, Bomova worked with officials and addressed all concerns related to the inspection.

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