The longtime owner of Pinocchio’s pizza on Church Street was stabbed Saturday at 5:37pm, allegedly by a transient from Virginia who was arrested shortly afterwards–and a second man was arrested Wednesday afternoon for threatening employees.
Police arrested Mark Allmond, of Virginia, Saturday on suspicion of attempted murder for allegedly stabbing Sal Oliveri, 62 in the arm, a wound that required 30 stitches. Allmond was arrested minutes after the attack.
Allmond reportedly came in and called Oliveri a terrorist and said he should leave the country, when Oliveri asked him to leave the business. He came back in brandishing a knife and Oliveri and his son-in-law moved him back to a table to protect other people in the restaurant when they said Allmond flailed away with the knife.
“It was a very traumatic experience,” said Gina Oliveri Polhaupessy, 29, Oliveri’s daughter, who witnessed the attack. “You feel very violated having someone come into your business like that.”
But the trauma has continued. A second man who was with Allmond Saturday has come by the business several times, pounding on the glass and making threats.
Gilroy police responded within five minutes of a call Tuesday, but couldn’t find the man.
Oliveri has owned the popular pizza shop for 40 years.
