Two East End real estate bigwigs got into a bare-knuckle brawl at a Hamptons hotspot last week.
Andrew Saunders, founder and CEO of the brokerage Saunders & Associates, and Jeffrey Colle — the luxury homebuilder known for developing homes for the likes of Jay-Z and Beyonce — got into a “violent fistfight” at the East Hampton Grill Thursday evening, sources told The Real Deal.
East Hampton Grill
One source said the incident ended with the two men rolling around on the floor punching each other. Another source said Saunders was seated with his party at the restaurant when Colle appeared at the venue and allegedly began to attack him.
The cause of the altercation couldn’t be immediately determined, but sources said Saunders has sold homes for Colle in the past.
Saunders referred TRD to his attorney, Anthony LaPinta, who said he and his client “will pursue all necessary means to stop Mr. Colle’s escalating and unacceptable behavior.”
Joseph Conway, an attorney for Colle, said his client will be arraigned on misdemeanor assault charges on Thursday. He said the whole thing “is being blown out of proportion” and the he and his client will be “prepared to answer these baseless charges in court.”
A representative for the East Hampton Grill, the popular eatery owned by the Hillstone Restaurant Group, declined to comment and referred questions to the East Hampton Village police department. No one at the department was immediately available to discuss the incident.
Saunders, who also develops homes, founded his namesake brokerage in October 2008. It claims to be the largest residential firm in the Hamptons.