Suspect allegedly pointed plastic gun at police
By:Jack Baney
The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office indicted a South Triangle Road man Wednesday on charges stemming from allegations that he pointed a toy gun at a Hillsborough police officer earlier this month.
Jerald J. Fasoli, 18, of 147 South Triangle Road, could face up to 11½ years in jail if he is convicted on two charges of third-degree assault and one charge of fourth-degree possession of an imitation firearm, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The alleged incident occurred at 4:42 p.m. May 7, when two police officers responded to a report of a man entering the Kmart on Route 206 with a handgun.
Police said they saw Mr. Fasoli crossing Route 206 from the Kmart parking lot and approached Mr. Fasoli in two police cars with their lights on.
They parked the cars, and approached him from different locations after he reached the driveway, according to police.
After being told by the other officer that Mr. Fasoli had a gun, an officer behind Mr. Fasoli yelled at him to drop it, police said.
Mr. Fasoli allegedly turned toward this officer, and pulled an imitation handgun from the front of his pants. Mr. Fasoli allegedly pointed the imitation handgun at the officer, appeared to pull the trigger, and said, “Yo, yo.”
Mr. Fasoli dropped the gun after being ordered to by the officer, police said.
After police handcuffed him, they determined that Mr. Fasoli had been holding a toy black plastic handgun with a brown handle.
After his arrest, Mr. Fasoli allegedly told police that he had gone to Kmart to buy a pool for his daughter, that he always carries his fake gun, and that he had smoked marijuana and had drunk beer that day.
“I was just playing, I know it was stupid, but I believe in God,” Mr. Fasoli reportedly told police. “I believe in God and I was just playing, having some fun with the cops.”
He was taken to the Somerset County Jail, where he later was freed on $2,500 bail.
Lt. David Delatore allowed that Mr. Fasoli could have been shot by police acting in self-defense when he brandished the toy gun.
“It was a close encounter,” he said. “Any time a person displays a handgun or any type of weapon to a police officer, there’s always that possibility.”