Tragically, a father-to-be was killed by a single punch in an Arizona bar brawl, just weeks away from welcoming his baby, authorities report.
Thomas John 'TJ' Pizzitola was discovered lying unconscious on a Scottsdale sidewalk outside a bar just after 2 a.m. on Oct. 11, police reported.
That night, 29-year-old Pizzitola and two friends were thrown out of Pattie’s First Avenue Lounge for rowdy behavior. Outside, one of his friends allegedly collided with a woman, according to court records obtained by Fox10.
Pizzitola suffered a fatal brain injury after Drew Meneses allegedly landed a single, deadly punch. Maricopa County Jail
What began as a simple bump soon erupted into a violent fight between the group and five suspects, prosecutors allege.
Police say that in the chaos of the fight, 24-year-old Drew Meneses allegedly struck Pizzitola with a punch that proved fatal, leaving him with a devastating brain injury.
“TJ was hit in the head and fell immediately to the ground,” police said in a statement.
Authorities said Pizzitola was rushed to the hospital but tragically succumbed to his injuries.
Despite being rushed to the hospital, Pizzitola tragically succumbed to his injuries. GoFundMe
Police confirmed that five suspects—Julia Husser, 27; Krista Molina, 27; Tony Becker, 26; Mark Whitford, 23; and Drew Meneses—were arrested last Wednesday in connection with the deadly bar fight.
Court records show that Meneses is facing second-degree murder charges, while the rest of the group was charged with varying degrees of assault.
Pizzitola was just weeks away from becoming a father with his wife, Krisan, when a single, fatal punch claimed his life, according to a GoFundMe set up in his honor.
Just minutes before his death, Pizzitola messaged his wife, Krisan, to tell her how proud he was, according to a local news report.
Pizzitola was only a few weeks away from fatherhood with his wife, Krisan, when tragedy struck. GoFundMe
“I texted him that I had gotten home, and he texted me back and said that he wished that I was there … but that he was so proud of me for staying home and taking care of our baby boy and that he loved me,” Krisan told the outlet.
“About 3:30, I saw that his location changed to the emergency room and dropped everything and ran down there in my pajamas,” the grieving widow recalled.
“All he ever wanted to be was the best father ever and the best husband,” Krisan said. “But he wasn’t finished.”
His family remembered that, even after the shocking tragedy, Pizzitola managed to save five lives through organ donation.
Support is pouring in: a GoFundMe for Krisan Pizzitola and her baby has raised more than $76,000 of its $85,000 target as of Tuesday night. GoFundMe
During a hearing, Meneses claimed he was merely having a 'bad night' when he allegedly landed the deadly punch.
“I just, it was a bad night. It was not supposed to happen like that at all, and there was no malicious intent for that at all,” he said.
The outlet reported that he is currently held on $1 million bail.
