The robbery and assault of a cab driver in Rumson early Friday morning ended in a Rumson man being held in jail over that and another alleged assault incident earlier in the month on a total of $150,000 bail, Rumson police said on Monday.
Phillip Sturner, 30, of Rumson, was arrested and charged with second-degree robbery, simple assault (DP), and theft of services (DP) for the July 17 incident.
He was also charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and false imprisonment in stemming from a July 5 incident that had been under investigation in which he allegedly assaulted two victims at his residence.
Bail was set, by Judge Honora Kilgallen J.S.C., at $50,000 for the July 17 incident and $100,000 for the July 5 incident, police reported.
In connection with the July 17 incident, another alleged perpetrator in the assault and robbery of the cabbie, Christopher Sutphen, 19, of Monmouth Beach, was arrested and charged with second-degree robbery, simple assault (DP) and theft of services (DP), police said.
Sutphen was also held in Monmouth Correctional Institution in lieu of $50,000 bail, set by Judge Honora Kilgallen J.S.C.
Police responded to the July 17 incident when at 3:08 a.m. they were dispatched to the area of Church and First Street “for a report of a fight in the street,” police said.
Upon arrival, police found two men with injuries — a cab driver and Sturner. EMS was called to the scene to treat the injured. In the meantime, a witness at the scene reported that another alleged perpetrator, who turned out to be identified as Sutphen, had fled.
Sutphen was found by an assisting unit of Little Silver police in the area of 15 First Street.
The cab driver — victim — was treated at Riverview Medical Center and released.
An investigation by Patrolman Anthony Ciambrone and Detective Christopher Isherwood determined that Sutphen was the alleged perpetrator of another assault incident on July 5.
That incident was reported to have occurred after a 1:30 a.m. 9-1-1 hang-up call was made to Monmouth County dispatch, which handles area emergency calls, sending Rumson Police Patrolman Daniel Campanella and Special Officer Class II to the area of East River Road and Carton Street, where they found a man in his vehicle having sustained severe facial injuries, Detective Christopher Isherwood said.
Further investigation by Isherwood and Campanella revealed that the victim found at the scene and another had allegedly been assaulted by Sturner at his residence.
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