SHORT HILLS, NJ – A quiet dinner at a high-end seafood restaurant exploded into chaos on March 16, 2024, when an off-duty police captain and a detective intercepted a couple accused of trying to leave without paying their bill. The incident, captured on intense bodycam footage, took place at the Legal Sea Foods located at 1200 Route 124 in Short Hills, New Jersey.
What started as a report of “Theft of Services” quickly escalated when the female suspect, identified as Marie A. Rosario, refused to stop for officers. The footage shows Rosario screaming at police, claiming she was a “prosecutor,” and spitting on law enforcement, turning a minor theft investigation into a serious felony arrest involving multiple officers from the Millburn Police Department and Orange Police Department. The video has garnered attention due to the suspect’s bizarre claims that police are “not allowed to touch a woman” while actively fighting against them.
Table of Contents
YouTube Bodycam Embed Section
Full Chronological Narrative
Luck was not on the suspects’ side. Off-duty Millburn Police Captain Azzopardi and Off-Duty Detective Quentan Boyd from the Orange Police Department were in the vicinity and intervened immediately.
The bodycam footage begins in the middle of the struggle. Officers are seen trying to detain the suspects. Moreira is being handled by Officer Czupak, while the situation with Rosario turns volatile instantly.
From the very first second, Rosario is combative. An officer is heard telling her, “Relax, you’re going to be arrested,” to which she defiantly replies, “I don’t care.”
“You Can’t Touch a Woman”
As the officers attempt to place Rosario in handcuffs, she begins screaming a series of legal misconceptions. She yells, “I do not want to talk about how you are not allowed to touch a woman,” seemingly believing her gender gave her immunity from physical detention. The officer warns her clearly: “Ma’am, if you don’t stop, you’re going to be arrested.”
Rosario ignores the commands. She screams, “Get the f*** off me! You’re going to be arrested for obstruction!” trying to turn the charges back on the police. She repeatedly shouts, “Don’t touch me!” while physically pulling away and struggling against the officers’ grip.
The “Officer Rescue” Scream
The situation escalates as officers force her to the ground to gain control. Rosario begins screaming bizarre phrases. She yells, “Officer rescue! You’re breaking my arm,” and makes a confusing reference to her mother, shouting, “I swear to God, my mother… I’m a prosecutor.” It is a common tactic for suspects to claim high-ranking positions to intimidate officers, but it did not work here.
While on the ground, the struggle continues. She kicks and thrashes, leading an officer to say, “You made us way harder than I do lying down… You didn’t listen to my order.”
The Spitting Incident
The most shocking moment occurs when Rosario turns her aggression from verbal to physical. The audio captures the chaotic moment where she spits at the officers. An officer is heard reacting, “I spit on the… It’s okay. I know okay. I don’t give a shit.” Later in the footage, she admits to the act, saying, “Then I spit on you. That said, right now I was scared.”
This action significantly upgraded her situation. Spitting on a police officer is considered a form of assault in New Jersey. The officer confirms the severity of her actions, stating, “That’s what I do. Shit. Who are you, bro? You know I do. Shit.”
The Male Suspect’s Reaction
While Rosario is fighting, Marshal Moreira is being detained nearby. He attempts to distance himself from her behavior, telling officers, “I gave her every chance… You’re gonna have to run off to the other guy I tried to walk away to.” He seems resigned to his fate but tries to downplay his involvement, claiming, “I didn’t do nothing. I ordered you to stop.”
Officers eventually get both suspects under control, but not before Rosario threatens the officers one last time: “I’m telling you, better remember my face.”
For more on how police handle resisting suspects, read our report on Resisting Arrest Charges Explained.
The Arrest and Charges
H2: Charges Filed Against Marie A. Rosario and Marshal Moreira
The chaotic scene resulted in serious charges. Because Rosario turned a simple theft into a physical altercation, she faces felonies.
Charges Against Marie A. Rosario:
- Theft of Services (2C:20-8A): For failing to pay the restaurant bill.
- Resisting Arrest (2C:29-2A): For physically fighting the officers attempting to handcuff her.
- Theft of Movable Property (2C:20-1A): Related to the theft incident.
- Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer (2C:12-1A(1)): This charge likely stems from the spitting and physical struggle.
Charges Against Marshal Moreira:
- Theft of Services (2C:20-8A): For the unpaid bill.
- Obstructing Administration of Law (2C:29-1A): For refusing to stop when ordered.
- Hindering Apprehension (2C:29-3B): For his role in trying to evade police or help Rosario evade.
Legal Breakdown of Charges
| Charge Name | Simple Legal Meaning | Why It Was Applied |
| Theft of Services | Using a service (like a restaurant) and purposely not paying. | They ate at Legal Sea Foods and walked out without paying. |
| Aggravated Assault on LEO | Attacking a police officer. In NJ, spitting or kicking an officer counts as assault. | Rosario spit on and physically struggled with the officers. |
| Resisting Arrest | Using force or flight to prevent an officer from handcuffing you. | Rosario pulled away, kicked, and refused to put her hands behind her back. |
| Obstruction | Doing anything that stops police from doing their official job. | Both suspects refused to stop walking when ordered by police. |
This case is shocking because “dine and dash” crimes are usually misdemeanors (called disorderly persons offenses in NJ). However, by fighting back, Rosario escalated her charges to indictable crimes (felonies).
For more details on New Jersey criminal statutes, you can visit the New Jersey Legislature Statutes.
What Happened Before Police Arrived
Before the cameras were rolling, a calculated theft was taking place inside Legal Sea Foods. The police report indicates that this was not a misunderstanding about a bill.
The Plan
At approximately 4:00 PM on March 16, Rosario and Moreira finished their meal. Instead of waiting for a check, they initiated a split exit. Rosario went to the restroom, while Moreira began walking toward the front door. This is a common tactic used in restaurant thefts to confuse staff.
The Pursuit
Restaurant staff noticed the bill was unpaid on the table. When they tried to intercept Moreira and hand him the bill, he ignored them and continued to the exit. Moments later, Rosario exited the bathroom and also headed for the door. General Manager Mark Tomossone refused to let them go without a fight and followed them out, flagging down help.
The 911 Context
The police report notes “Theft under $50,” suggesting the meal wasn’t expensive. This makes the subsequent violence even more senseless. The suspects risked years in prison over a meal that likely cost less than fifty dollars.
If you are interested in other cases involving restaurant crimes, check out our article on Theft Laws in the US.
Expert Legal Analysis
As a legal analyst for Evidence Decode, I have reviewed the police report and the bodycam transcript to evaluate the actions of both the suspects and the police.
Was the Stop Legal? Yes. Under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, police need “reasonable suspicion” that a crime has occurred to stop and detain someone. This is known as a Terry Stop. In this case, the restaurant manager identified the suspects directly to the officers as people who had just stolen food. This gave Captain Azzopardi and Officer Czupak clear legal authority to detain them for investigation.
Off-Duty Police Powers A common misconception is that off-duty officers cannot arrest you. This is false. In New Jersey, sworn police officers have full police powers 24 hours a day within their jurisdiction, and often throughout the state for crimes committed in their presence. Captain Azzopardi was well within his rights to initiate the stop.
The “You Can’t Touch a Woman” Defense Rosario repeatedly screamed, “You are not allowed to touch a woman.” Legally, this is nonsense. Police officers are authorized to use “reasonable force” to effect an arrest, regardless of the suspect’s gender. When Rosario pulled away and refused to stop, officers were justified in grabbing her arms and, when she continued to fight, taking her to the ground to secure her.
Aggravated Assault by Spitting Rosario’s decision to spit on the officers was a critical legal error. Courts have consistently ruled that spitting on an officer constitutes assault because it involves the transfer of bodily fluids and is degrading and potentially dangerous. This turned a minor ticket into a serious criminal record.
Procedural Correctness The officers appeared to show restraint initially. The transcript shows them asking her repeatedly to “relax” and “stop” before using force. They clearly identified that she was being detained for investigation. The use of force appeared proportional to her resistance.
For more on your rights during police stops, visit the ACLU’s Guide to Police Encounters.
The Aftermath / Current Status
Following the chaotic arrest, both suspects were processed by the Millburn Police.
Marie A. Rosario: She was transported to Police Headquarters for fingerprinting and photography. A background check revealed she had an active warrant (NCIC Warrant 24-02-00363-1) from the Essex County Sheriff. Because of this warrant and the new charges, she was not released. She was logged into the Essex County Correctional Facility.
Marshal Moreira: Moreira also had active warrants out of the Hillside Police Department. However, he was “Released on Own Recognizance” (ROR) for the charges from Millburn PD and released on the Hillside warrants. This means he was allowed to go home pending his court date.
The case is currently closed by arrest. Both suspects will face court hearings in Essex County to answer for the theft and the assault charges.
For updates on this case and others, verify local records at the Essex County Sheriff’s Office.
Check out related stories on our site:
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Disclaimer
Disclaimer All suspects mentioned in this article, including Marie A. Rosario and Marshal Moreira, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on official police records (Case I-2024-006134) and public bodycam footage. This content is for news reporting and educational purposes only.