Robbery suspect arrested in Peoria

A man who robbed a Peoria business at knife point Monday afternoon was arrested and booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail, said Peoria Police Spokesman Mike Tellef.

At about 3:40 p.m., Joseph J. Fugazzotto, 26, entered A Peoria Plumbing, located at 9117 NW Grand Ave., and approached the clerk. Fugazzotto was armed with a folding knife and pointed it at an employee, demanding money and threatening to slash her. The clerk complied and Fugazzotto left the business with a small amount of money.

Tellef said witnesses observed Fugazzotto leaving in a late model, dark pickup truck and officers responding to the call observed the vehicle traveling southeast on Grand Avenue. The vehicle was stopped in the 7700 block of Grand Avenue and Fugazzotto exited the vehicle but was uncooperative with officers, refusing verbal commands and failing to show officers his hands. Officers attempted to take him into custody and he physically resisted arrest so an officer deployed his taser. Fugazzotto was then taken into custody.

Fugazzotto was booked at the Fourth Avenue Jail on one count of armed robbery, one count of aggravated assault and one count of resisting arrest.