Pizzeria Employee Wields Peel, Strikes Coworker Following Argument In Merrick: Police

A verbal squabble between two pizza workers got saucy when one decided to use his pizza peel as a weapon, police said.

50-year-old Merrick resident John Vano was arrested on Sunday, May 7 for assaulting his coworker with pizza equipment, police said.
Photo Credit: *Nassau County Police Department/Google Maps street view*

05/08/2023 3:30 p.m.

John Vano, age 50, of Merrick, was arrested on Sunday, May 7 following an argument with a coworker that turned violent, authorities claimed.

Detectives said that on Saturday, May 6, Vano and his 42-year-old male coworker got into a verbal altercation at La Piazza, located at 2191 Merrick Road, at approximately 8:15 p.m.

The fight escalated and Vano allegedly proceeded to strike his coworker in the head with a large pizza peel, lacerating the victim’s head.

Vano then fled the scene before police arrived, but turned himself in the next day without incident, police said.

Vano is charged with:

Second-degree assault
Fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon

He is scheduled to be arraigned at the First District Court on Monday, May 8.

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