State-mandated victim zone manager followed home, beaten, robbed

The Ashtabula Star Beacon is reporting that Leo Caruso, owner of Caruso’s Pizza and Spaghetti House, left the restaurant for home about 10 p.m. carrying the day’s receipts in a zippered bank envelope. On the drive home he noticed the white SUV following him.

From the story:

After parking his car in the garage, Caruso said he was confronted in his driveway by a white male in his 20’s wearing a dark hooded jacket with his face was partially covered. The suspect demanded the envelope then punched Caruso knocking him to the ground. He then allegedly grabbed the envelope away from Caruso and took off running.

“I thought about going after him,” Caruso said Friday, “but what could I do. He took off running so fast.”

Caruso reportedly told authorities the white SUV also left the area first toward Route 20 then turned around and passed his home at high speed heading north. He felt certain the SUV was involved in the robbery.

According to the sheriff’s report, a former employee of Caruso’s, Joshua Ricket, 19, was later questioned, and eventually arrested. Ricket told police his neighbor had called asking for a ride and promised he would make some money. He drove the neighbor to Caruso’s restaurant and they watched for Caruso. When he left the two followed him and the neighbor, wearing a blue bandana across his face, robbed Caruso in his driveway. Ricket told deputies he saw his partner strike Caruso twice in the face.

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At his home Friday, Leo Caruso told the newspaper he was sore, but happy. “I can’t thank Deputy Rick Hazeltine and the other deputies enough. I’m just glad this didn’t happen to my daughter.”

Caruso named the other officers involved in the investigation, “Joe Niemi, Mark Allen, Rick Schupska, Jim Hudson, Sgt. Ron Fenton and Joe DeFazio. And all of them are getting laid off except Fenton and DeFazio,” he told the newspaper. “I don’t know how to put this into words, but please emphasize we need these deputies.”

Caruso’s daughter, Kelly Bancroft said of the layoff of more than 40 people from the sheriff’s department which goes in effect today, “really, money is just money. My father means much more than that. Would people rather have $10 in their pocket or their loved ones safe. That’s the question,” she told the newspaper.

Under current Ohio law, bearing handguns for self-defense in most restaurants is against the law, even for the owner!

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