TOMS RIVER, N.J. — Toms River Councilman James Quinlisk is disputing a 2002 police report that accused him of assaulting a woman at the business of his former partner during a dispute at a business in Englishtown.
The incident came to light after a political mailer outlined the charges against him this week.
According to police records, Quinlisk entered the offices of RJP Enterprises in Englishtown on June 6, 2002, and demanded his paycheck from his partner, Christopher McElwre. When he was denied that check, he began aggressively going through the desk of the receptionist and taking a computer disk he claimed belonged to him. He then grabbed a handful of checks and stormed out of the building.
When confronted outside the business by disabled female receptionist, she reported that Quinlisk shoved her out of the way, shoving her twice. He then struck her with the door of his truck as he made his getaway before police arrived. He was also accused of assaulting the disabled employee.
The incident, documented in an Englishtown Police Department report dated Nov. 6, 2002, involved an accusation by Christopher McElwee, who sought to file complaints against Quinlisk for simple assault and reckless driving.
Quinlisk, contacted by Toms River Patch this week, said he had gone to the business because McElwee, his former partner, refused to release his paycheck. He said the disabled woman was blocking his door, which is why he pushed her out of the way twice.
“She tried to prevent me from leaving the parking lot by leaning against my door,” Quinlisk told Patch. “I pulled away slowly.”
The case was dismissed eight days later, on Nov. 14, with only a no-contact order issued against Quinlisk, but police ordered Quinlisk to have no further contact with the women.
Quinlisk described the altercation as a business dispute that escalated unnecessarily and blamed Mayor Dan Rodrick for the report’s resurfacing this week.
