Cops: Pawcatuck Man Stabbed In Chest By Co-Worker

WESTERLY, RI — A fight between coworkers at a company Christmas party continued after they left and ended up in a Home Depot parking lot with one man stabbed in the chest Sunday, police said.

According to Westerly Police Chief Shawn Lacey, Jonathan Moore, 25, of Pawcatuck and Joseph Barrese, 51, of Westerly, were at a Christmas Party at the Hill Top Café in Westerly and got into a verbal fight.

Police said the two men left the party but "continued texting each other." Lacey said that Barrese went looking for Moore and showed up at his Pawcatuck house. Moore left his house and drove to the Home Depot store in Westerly. Barrese followed him there and confronted him in the parking lot where the argument continued and Moore was "stabbed in the chest by the suspect" who took off, police said.

Police got to the big box store lot and found Moore"with a puncture wound in his left upper chest area." Westerly Ambulance Corps medics treated him on the scene personnel arrived on the scene and began treating the victim. Moore was taken to Rhode Island Hospital where he's listed in fair condition, Lacey said, with a stab wound to his chest and damaged lung. He's expected to recover.

Meanwhile, a Westerly officer spotted Barrese's car turning onto Airport Road and was stopped.

Barrese was charged with felony assault, disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, refusal to submit to a chemical test, and possession of marijuana. Lacey said Barrese was held overnight at the Westerly Police station and transported to Fourth Division District Court Tuesday morning to be arraigned. His case does not yet show up on the RI Judiciary.

Editor's note: This story has been clarified to say the men are coworkers who attended a party at the Hill Top Cafe but are not Hill Top Cafe co-workers.