Restaurant Worker Assaulted While Taking Out Trash In West Caldwell: Police

WEST CALDWELL, NJ — Police in West Caldwell have apprehended one of three suspects who assaulted a restaurant worker as he stepped out to throw trash outside in June, they said.

On June 23 at 1:04 a.m., according to the West Caldwell police, officers responded to a local restaurant on report of a staff member being attacked by three males in the business parking lot.

The caller told police that one of the attackers had a knife during the assault.

The victim ran inside a nearby business to escape, and the assailants fled in a blue Honda, police said.

An on-scene investigation was conducted by Sgt. Joy and officers Berardino and Marta.

Apparently, police said, the trouble had begun earlier in the evening when a restaurant staff member "was threatened with a knife ... by a jealous boyfriend of one of his co-workers. Throughout the shift he then received multiple threatening text messages, including photographs from the outside of his home, all believed to be sent from the boyfriend."

Then, when the victim went to throw out garbage in a Dumpster, he was surrounded by three men, including the boyfriend, who still had a knife.

The victim was assaulted and sustained an arm laceration, but broke free.

Investigating officers later located the vehicle fleeing the scene by using special technology — the West Caldwell Police Department Automated License Plate Reader system.

Detective Keepers conducted a follow up investigation over the past two months and was able to identify one of the suspects, police said.

On Aug. 18, a 17-year-old North Haledon resident was taken into custody and charged with terroristic threats, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and possession of a weapon.

The teen was transported to the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center for further adjudication of the matter, police said.

The investigation remains open as police look to identify and apprehend the other two assailants, they said.