Toms River HS South Student Charged with Cafeteria Robbery

A Toms River High School South student is charged with grabbing money from the cafeteria till and punching a safety officer who intervened.

The 17-year-old from South Toms River was found by school staffers wandering the halls around 8:30 AM Tuesday, according to information from Toms River police.

The teen entered the study hall taking place in the cafeteria and continued into the kitchen, ignoring orders to stop, police said.

An adult safety officer engaged the teen in dialogue and was met with a punch to the side of the head that sent him floorward, after which the teen took $10 from the till and tried to run, police said.

Several school workers struggled to subdue the teen until Patrol Officer Brian Jarka arrived with handcuffs. The teen resisted until being fought to the ground, police said.

He is charged with robbery, resisting arrest, and aggravated assault on a school employee.

Police issued no details regarding possible injuries.