Toms River Man Indicted in Point Beach Assault

A Toms River man has been indicted on a charge of allegedly assaulting another man outside a store on Route 35 in Point Pleasant Beach.

Brian Arnett was charged by a grand jury in Toms River with causing "significant bodily injury" to Jose Torres on March 17.

In March, Point Beach police had said Arnett was charged with one count of second degree aggravated assault in connection with allegedly beating a Point Borough man unconscious.

Brian Arnett, 28, had been arrested at about 10:30 p.m. March 17 after allegedly beating a 34-year-old Point Borough man outside the 7-11, next to Marlin's, on Route 35 in the southern part of Point Beach, said Detective Pat Petruzziello at the time.

The victim was in critical condition at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune two days after the incident, police said.

There were signs Arnett had been drinking, but he had not been at Marlin's and no weapons were involved, police said.

The Point Borough man had driven with his fiancee to the 7-11, his fiancee went into the store and the man chatted with an acquaintance outside, Petruzziello said.

The couple was about to leave when Arnett made a comment to the man, the man said, "Excuse me," because he had not heard Arnett, and then Arnett assaulted him and knocked him unconscious, Petruzziello said.

"The two men did not know each other, there was no reason for the assault," he added.

Arnett and a friend fled the scene, police tracked down the friend and, through an interview with him, police found Arnett in the friend's apartment near the 7-11 parking lot, Petruzziello said.

Officers Marc Distelcamp and Brian Spader investigated and made the arrest.

The friend was not charged.

The victim had been transported by the Point Pleasant First Aid and Emergency Squad to Jersey Shore.

Arnett was lodged in Ocean County jail on $10,000 bail and also had a few outstanding warrants pending against him in other jurisdictions, Petruzziello had said in March. The nature of those warrants was not available.

Bay Head police assisted at the scene.