To reduce the odds of being smashed in the face with a beer bottle at a bar, try not to blow pepper flakes in somebody's face

Two men involved in an altercation at a South Boston restaurant involving pepper and a beer bottle face criminal charges, a police detective told the Boston Licensing Board today.

Initially, police only charged one man with assault and battery, for allegedly throwing a beer bottle at the face of another man at the Lincoln Tavern, 425 West Broadway, around 1:45 a.m. on Sept. 9. The bottle cracked on the man's face and opened up a gash on his head.

But an investigation showed the bottle-chucker had acted only after his victim had first blown pepper flakes into his eyes "for no reason," Sgt. Det. Kenneth O'Brien testified. O'Brien, who did not specify whether the pepper was black or red, said an assault-and-battery charge was then lodged against the pepper blower.

The board decides Thursday whether any action against the tavern is warranted. Lincoln Tavern attorney Dennis Quilty said there was nothing the tavern could have done. "Nobody could see the blowing of pepper flakes coming," he said.