Parsippany Man Accused of Ditching Stolen Car in Newark After Hitting Owner

A Parsippany man is being held on $50,000 bail for allegedly stealing a Jaguar from a gas station, hitting the vehicle’s owner, and dropping the car off in Newark, police said.

Anthony Novellino, 29, was arrested Saturday as he left a room at the Days Inn Hotel on Rt. 46 in Parsippany, two days after police say he stole a car from the Exxon On The Run just down the road.

Police responded to the gas station just after 7 p.m. for a report of a stolen vehicle, police said. While interviewing the alleged victim, police learned the driver had exited his 2005 Jaguar to go into the convenience store, and left the car running with keys in the ignition, police said.

While exiting the store, the victim saw his vehicle backing out of the parking spot, and proceeded to stand in front of the car and raised his arms, questioning with the person operating the vehicle was doing, police said.

The new driver then accelerated toward the victim and struck him with the car’s fender and mirror, police said. The vehicle then fled the scene on Rt. 46 east. The owner of the car did not require medical attention, and the car was valued at approximately $16,000, police said.

An investigation led police to the Days Inn Hotel two days later, where they found Novellino and arrested him without incident.

Novellino is lodged in Morris County Jail on $50,000 bail. He is charged with robbery, aggravated assault, and theft. The Jaguar was recovered Monday morning in Newark and is being held in police custody for the processing of evidence.

According to nj.com, Novellino is the son of Anthony Novellino from Denville, who is accused of stabbing his wife to death in 2010. 

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