RED BANK: TRUCK USED IN RUNDOWN TRY

A 2016 photo shows the fencing at Red Rock Tap + Grill, with the outdoor gathering area at left. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Closing time turned harrowing at a Red Bank bar when an angry patron tried to run over an employee with his pickup truck early Saturday morning, according to police.

Evan Lloyd, 23, of Little Silver, crashed his vehicle through safety gates surrounding the yard of Red Rock Tap + Grill in an attempt to mow down a bar worker, Chief Darren McConnell told redbankgreen.

 

The incident occurred at 1:57 a.m. as the employee was carrying trash to an enclosure at the northeast end of the yard, McConnell said. Red Rock is located on the corner of Wharf Avenue and Union Street.

The employee, a 36-year-old Red Bank man whose name was not released, suffered non-life-threatening injuries, McConnell said. He was treated at and released from Riverview Medical Center, just across the street from the bar, he said.

Lloyd “targerted this individual,” with whom he’d previously had an exchange of words. McConnell said.

Several onlookers witnessed the incident but there were no other injuries, he said.

Police on closing-time patrol were on the scene quickly and arrested Lloyd, who was charged with assault by auto, terroristic threats, DWI, reckless driving and criminal mischief, McConnell said.

Lloyd was booked and taken to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, where he was still being held without bail early Tuesday, according to the county sheriff’s website.