By Doreen Bernardini
An RVCC theater technician has lost his job after allegedly releasing pepper spray into the audience of a comedy show here on Nov. 30. According to Branchburg police, Gabriie Luc Gonzales, 18, of Flemington admitted inadvertently spraying the mist while fooling around with other technicians in the lighting catwalk, a work area above the audience.
According to police, at about 8:15 p.m. comedian Pat Dixon was five minutes into his opening act for comedienne Caroline Rhea when mist droplets began to fall on the audience from above. Four patrons abruptly left the theater for the rest rooms when their eyes and faces began to burn.
“The staff knew something was wrong,” said Alan Liddell, RVCC theater director. “Nobody ever leaves the theater five minutes into the show. It just doesn’t happen.”
Theater staff waited outside the restroom to see what was wrong. “The show didn’t stop, we did not want to start a panic,” said Liddell. Instead, they called Branchburg Police and the Rescue Squad.
Squad members treated the four people for skin and eye irritation. Police determined that theatre technicians had been seen working on the catwalk above the audience.
When police asked whether any of the technicians carried pepper spray, Gonzales said he did, according to the report. He handed over a small black plastic container of pepper spray that was still wet from use, police said. Gonzales allegedly denied using the pepper spray at first then said he and his friends were joking around with it. Gonzales’ friends asked him to spray them with several two-second bursts so they could see and taste the effect, police said.
According to the report, Gonzales said he found the pepper spray under a chair in the RVCC game room earlier in the day and had kept it with him when he reported for work at the theater.
He was charged with disorderly conduct and unlawful possession of a weapon and was released. The can of pepper spray was placed into evidence.
According to Security Site Manager, Dale Ford, Gonzales is no longer an employee at the Theater.
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