Second man arrested in Walmart baseball attack

Clayton, N.C. — Police arrested a second man for allegedly aiding in baseball attack on a Wal-Mart employee and filed more charges against the original suspect.

Lt. J.R. Herring arrested Brandon Michael Nicopolis, 21, of 321 Tobacco Lane in Johnston County, at his home without incident on Friday.

Investigators said that Nicopolis drove around Thomas Michael Accardi, 21, of 2008 Huntclub Drive in Johnston County, on the night of Aug. 7, when Accardi attacked Arnold Dyer in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart at 805 Town Center Blvd.

Dyer remained hospitalized on Friday.

Nicopolis and Accardi also shattered the rear windows of at least six vehicles with a baseball bat, investigators said. Nicopolis also allegedly sideswiped a parked vehicle and drove away.

Nicopolis faces two felony charges of aiding and abetting assault with a deadly with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and aiding abetting secret assault. Police also charged him with six misdemeanor counts of aiding and abetting injury to personal property and hit-and-run property damage.

Nicopolis was being held in the Johnston County Jail under a $125,000 secured bond.

Investigators filed six additional charges of misdemeanor injury to personal property against Accardi. He also faces charges of malicious assault in secret and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.

A judge raised Accardi's bond to $400,000 at his first court appearance on Monday, and he was still being held in the Johnston County Jail on Friday.

Accardi was released from prison in April 2007 after serving eight months for common-law robbery, according to state Department of Correction records.

That robbery occurred on May 22, 2006 – 34 days after Accardi's release from prison for a 10-month sentence for assault and battery, passing a worthless check and violating his probation for second-degree arson.