Baseball bat retaliation by former Jefferson gas employee

JEFFERSON – A former Lukoil employee was charged with aggravated assault after returning to the gas station and swinging a baseball bat at a current employee closing up for the night, police said.

At about 12:29 a.m. Tuesday, Officer Jeremy Romash responded to the Lukoil gas station on Berkshire Valley Road for a report of a strong armed robbery that was later determined to be an aggravated assault, Deputy Chief Eric Wilsusen said.

Romash determined a Lukoil employee and his friend were outside closing down the service station when they observed a man standing near the building’s garage, Wilsusen said.

When they went to check, the man ran behind the building, Wilsusen said.

The employee returned to the front of the gas station where he saw a second man crouched down. Upon getting closer, the man swung an aluminum baseball bat at the employee, who had to duck to avoid being struck, Wilsusen said.

The man with the bat and the first man ran towards Falcon Drive with the employee and his friend chased after them, Wilsusen said.

The employee and his friend observed a silver Jeep parked in the Milton Inn parking lot, located down the road from the gas station just before Falcon Drive.

But the vehicle “left aggressively” as the two suspects were being chased by the employee and his friend, Wilsusen said.

The suspects then entered a wooded area on Ridge Road, still chased by the employee and his friend, and the employee was able to identify one of the suspects as Luke Tallon, 19, of Jefferson, a former employee of the gas station, Wilsusen said.

Tallon had recently been let go from his Lukoil job, Wilsusen said.

A vehicle matching the description of the Jeep that fled the scene was located a short time later on Weldon Road, Wilsusen said.

Officer Dave Wojtach stopped the vehicle and identified the driver as Gianna Bizarro, 19, of Sparta. Bizarro, who had driven the other two men to the scene and was waiting to pick them up, was charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy, Wilsusen said.

Police also located Tallon at his home and arrested him.

A third suspect, Bryan Harmon, 19, of Conowingo, Md., remains at large, Wilsusen said.

Tallon and Harmon were charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and conspiracy.

Tallon was also charged with criminal mischief, as police discovered during the investigation that the employee’s rear and side car windows had been damaged, Wilsusen said.

Bizzaro was released pending a Municipal Court appearance and Tallon was taken to the Morris County Correctional Facility on $20,000 bail.

Nothing was taken during the altercation, which appeared to be a “former employee retaliation,” Wilsusen said.

Neither victim reported any injuries, Wilsusen said.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com