Cops: Men Beat Quick Chek Employee, One Used Ratchet

A group of males beat a Quick Chek employee and one hit him with a ratchet after the employee told them to stop hanging around the store, police said. The man received cuts and bruises but refused medical attention, police said.

Harry Stickle, 18, of Hopatcong was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of weapons for unlawful purposes, unlawful possession of weapons and disorderly conduct.

Kyle Shalkowski, 23, of Hopatcong was charged with assault and disorderly conduct.

Three juveniles were charged with assault.

Police said they had responded June 20 to a report of a man getting jumped at the Hopatchung Road Quick Chek.

When an officer spotted four males walking into the woods behind the Hopatcong Plaza, Stickle tossed a ratchet onto the ground, police said. Police said they asked Stickle why he tried ditching it and he said: "I didn't want to get in trouble for having it." When asked why he had it in the first place, police said, Stickle replied, "I was using it to tighten the peddles on my bike earlier."

But a surveillance video showed Shalkowski flexing shirtless and making gestures toward the man before approaching him, police said. Shalkowski kicked the man and put him in a headlock before his friends joined in, hitting him from different angles for several minutes, police said. Stickle slashed at the man's back with the ratchet and the attackers left him on the ground, police said.

The store employee had said he saw his manager arguing with a group of males outside the store, police said. Later, the employee said, he went outside for a cigarette before the group began verbally abusing him and attacked him, police said.

Shalkowski said he hit the man out of self-defense, police said. Stickle also admitted to hitting the man, police said.

Stickle and Shalkowski were taken to Sussex County Jail, police said. Stickle's bail was set at $75,000 while Shalkowski's was set at $2,500. Neither was given the 10-percent option. The juveniles were released to their parents, police said.

For more information on this report, email brendan@patch.com.