Police search for machete attacker

Ronald Reaves, 32, was attacked at about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday on Cumberland Drive while on his way home from work at Tony's Pizza, in the Bordeaux Shopping Center at Owen Drive and Village Drive, police said.

Reaves said he was getting out of his car when two men approached him. One man brandished a baseball bat and the other struck him with a machete, leaving a 6-inch gash in his left arm and shoulder, he said.

“We started fighting and he hit me on the shoulder with a machete and cut me open,” Reaves said.

One of the men jumped into a car and drove off, and the other jumped into another car driven by a female accomplice, he said.

Another manager at Tony's Pizza said some employees saw some people follow Reaves out of the shopping center's parking lot and called police.

“When I got off work, they all followed behind me,” Reaves said.

Three weeks ago, the owner of Tony's Pizza, Timothy Crossgrove, was shot and killed outside his home after returning home from work.

Police said they aren't sure whether the two incidents are related.

“Right now, it's a robbery, an assault and unfortunately, someone got hurt,” said Theresa Chance, Fayetteville police spokeswoman.

Police say the investigation into Crossgrove's murder remains a priority.

Reaves says he is glad he is OK and that he can continue to carry out his friend's dream by managing the pizza shop.

“I feel like I had to pay him back by coming back here to help his family because they've helped me out,” Reaves said.

Police asked anyone with information about either crime to call Detective Chris Corcione of the Fayetteville Police Department at 910-433-1856 or Crime Stoppers at 910-483-8477.