EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Tree worker says boss suddenly knocked him senseless… before another employee helped kick and punch him while down…
Above images: Cellphone photos of the victim’s injuries the day of, and the day after the attack. Barnstable Police mugshots of Barnicoat and Miller… with yellow lettering inserted by HN…
CENTERVILLE – In an exclusive HN phone interview, Jeremy Silano said he had just finished some stump grinding and was returning the company truck and trailer back to an address where his boss stores company equipment on Longview Drive…
… it was about 3:30 pm this past Tuesday, 10/30/18, when he had finally dropped off the equipment. He was turning toward the driveway to go home for the day when he suddenly became the victim of what can only be described as “brutal workplace violence.”
Silano remembers getting clobbered in the face, his eyeglasses flying off, and things suddenly turning black.
Silano doesn’t really know how long he was unconscious, but he does remember coming around and being “surrounded by cops and rescue.”
He was also covered with blood.
Silano said he learned from witnesses that his boss, Dan Barnicoat, and another coworker, Nicholas Miller, had been punching and kicking him mercilessly, even after he was down and unconscious.
His attackers fled in a vehicle after someone called the cops.
Silano isn’t exactly sure why he was attacked, but he did say he recently reported a work related back injury to his boss… but he also added he didn’t believe that was the reason for him being beaten. Silano said he wasn’t sure why he was beaten so badly and he didn’t want to speculate as to why his workplace suddenly became violent. He just knows it was unexpected and uncalled for. He described himself as a good employee with a mechanical background which allowed him to go above and beyond tree work, to where he would fix company equipment. He had been employed at the tree service, which he named as “Cape & Islands Tree Service,” for about 4 months.
At the hospital, Silano learned he had suffered a broken rib, he needed stitches to hem up two facial wounds, and a CAT Scan revealed brain swelling.
Aside from unending pain, Silano also reported being constantly nauseous and vomiting for hours, even after being rechecked by a doctor the day after the attack.
Silano also learned that witnesses tried to pull both Barnicoat and Miller off of him while they were busy working him over.
Both Barnicoat and Miller were arrested later that day after initially fleeing the scene. They were both charged with Assault & Battery by means of a Dangerous Weapon, along with simple Assault & Battery. During the arrest, Barnstable Police Officers recovered a loaded stolen handgun from the suspects’ vehicle. Barnicoat and Miller were also charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition.
Miller also had outstanding warrants for Assault & Battery, Threats and Vandalism out of Barnstable, Assault & Battery on a Family or Household Member and Violation of a Protective Order out of Bridgewater, and seven counts of Violation of a Protective Order, Disorderly Conduct, and Vandalism out of Falmouth.
Both Barnicoat and Miller are being held without bail at the Barnstable Correctional Facility in Bourne pending a “Dangerousness Hearing” scheduled for tomorrow. The hearing is to determine whether either suspect poses a danger to the victim and the public, or not.
Today, Jeremy Silano is suffering not only physically from the attack which came brutally and suddenly without warning, he told HN the entire ordeal has put him in a very dark place mentally at a time in his life where he is also having a rough time coping with other hardships.
HN will provide footage and additional details regarding this story as they become available…
… stay tuned.
* All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
P.S. – Today’s Hytown Vignette is brought to you by Adrian Cunningham… [CRANK IT!]
