Abingdon Man Charged After Gas Station Assault: Officials

BEL AIR, MD — An Abingdon man has been charged in a recent attack that severely injured a gas station clerk off MD 924, according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office.

The employee was beaten, authorities said, after an argument that began inside the store over a cup.

William Billy Jones, 28, of the 100 block of Abingdon, faces these charges as a result of the attack, the sheriff's office reported Thursday:

• Robbery
• First-degree assault
• Second-degree assault
• Theft from $100 to $1,500
• Malicious destruction of property less than $1,000

The charges stem from an attack that occurred on July 19 at the Exxon in the 2900 block of Emmorton Road in Abingdon, according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office.

A 54-year-old man who worked at the store was assaulted after two men came inside and one started arguing with him over one of them taking a cup from the beverage area, authorities said.

When the man who was arguing — later identified as Jones — started threatening the clerk, the employee began filming him and followed him when he went outside, officials reported.

The clerk was still filming as the "suspect began assaulting him, striking him several times in the head, knocking him to the ground," authorities said, before the suspect took the phone and left.

As a result of the investigation, an arrest warrant for Jones was issued on July 29, and he turned himself in on Aug. 3, officials said.

The clerk suffered "significant injuries" related to the assault, which resulted in his treatment at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, law enforcement said. Since the assault, he has been released, but he "continues to recover from his injuries," the sheriff's office reported Thursday.

Jones is being held at the Harford County Detention Center without bail.

Anyone with information can call Detective Moro of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 443-409-3154.