Pocono News Section

Elderly Man Beaten With Baseball Bat in Home Invasion

Elderly Man Beaten With Baseball Bat in Home Invasion - Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:30PM EST

Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Wednesday, Jan 7, 2009 @ 05:30pm EST
HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY- A Luzerne County man is in the hospital and his accused attacker is jailed after a brutal Hazleton home invasion.

19-year-old Giacomo Pisciotta was charged Wednesday morning with the violent robbery. Police say he got into 71-year-old Harold Filler’s East Green Street home Tuesday night around 9:30. Investigators say Pisciotta beat the victim with a baseball bat and punched and kicked him, even knocking him down the steps twice.

A witness spotted the teen running from the scene and police caught Pisciotta a block away. Harold Filler, Jr., the victim’s son, spoke with Eyewitness News. "My father likes to help, he thinks he can help the world. He's very kind hearted, and we struggle as a family to try and tell him there are not good people in the world. That's what we're dealing with," he said.

Pisciotta is jailed on $250,000 bail. Mr. Filler is in serious condition but is expected to survive his injuries.