Old Bridge Man Killed While Out Walking Dog; Sayreville Man Arrested

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — A Sayreville man has been arrested and charged with a shocking murder last week in Old Bridge Township in what police are calling an apparent random attack on a man out walking his dog one evening. The Sayreville man attacked, robbed and beat the man, and then tried to kill the dog, too, the Middlesex County Prosecutor said. The dog escaped alive.

The incident happened on the evening of Wednesday, May 24 near the Glenwood Apartments complex in Old Bridge. The 51-year-old male victim, Viktor Yashchyshyk, was attacked a block from his home at about 9 p.m. while he was out walking his dog, the prosecutor said. He was on the phone with his girlfriend when he was attacked. He was beaten and knocked unconscious. He sustained a skull fracture, broken jaw and was missing some teeth.

Someone else out walking their dog that evening found Yashchyshyk unconscious on the sidewalk. He was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick in critical condition but died on Friday at 8:30 a.m., two days after he was attacked, according to Middlesex Prosecutor Andrew Carey.

After randomly attacking Yashchyshyk, the suspect then tried to kill his dog by swinging the dog around by the leash. The dog slid out of his collar and returned home without its owner, police said.

Earl Allayne Jr., 20, of the Parlin section of Sayreville, was arrested a day later, Saturday, May 27. He was a suspect in the attack but remained at large until Saturday night, when an Old Bridge police officer saw Allayne near the Glenwood Apartments where the attack took place. Allayne fled from police, led them on a foot chase and hid in a utility room in the complex. A safe perimeter was set up around the complex and residents were directed to a safe spot while police pursued Allayne. After approximately 15 minutes Allayne surrendered to authorities, Carey said.

He is charged with felony murder and robbery.

The investigation is active and is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Addie Spinola of the Old Bridge Police Department at (732) 721-5600, or Detective David Abromaitis of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-4436.

Photo of Earl Allayne Jr. via the Middlesex County Prosecutor