Ax-Wielding Boss Not So Mythical, One Employee Finds

An "ax-wielding boss" may be a humorous cliche, but for three employees of a Maryland painting company, the caricature came to life Monday.

The owner of the small business in the city of Frederick attacked one of the employees with a decorative, medieval-style ax, after accusing the worker of stealing quarters, The Frederick News Post reports.

he incident unfolded at the home of the boss, 44-year-old Andrew Francis Scalera, where the employees were filling out work orders.

According to Frederick County court documents that give an account of the incident as told to police, Scalera attacked and choked the victim before striking his forearm with the ax.
From the News Post:

He said Scalera then tried to hit him again, but he moved out of the way, and Scalera broke the glass on a door.

The other two people stopped Scalera, who put the ax away and tried to apologize, the documents state.

The newspaper adds that the employee ended up in the hospital to get a deep gash and chipped bone treated -- and that Scalera was subsequently arrested -- but freed after posting $70,000 bail.

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By David Schepp
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