Men arrested for allegedly robbing students on Hillside Road

Two Dover men were arrested Saturday, 20 minutes after allegedly robbing two university students.

Newark Police said the two students were walking along Hillside Road near Apple Road just after 2 a.m. when a car stopped beside them.

The passenger of the car struck up a conversation with the two pedestrians, but then told them to not move and implied he had a gun. The driver then got out of the car and patted down the pockets of both victims, removing a cell phone from one, said police spokesman Lt. Brian Henry.

The driver then got back into his car and drove off. The students were not injured.
After the incident, the students were able to provide the police with a vehicle description and registration number.

About 20 minutes later, an officer spotted the car on Elkton Road near Amstel Avenue. The two men were identified as the suspects of the robbery and were taken into custody, Henry said.

Police have identified the men as Howard B. Johnson Jr., 22, and Earl Holt, 25. Neither are students at the university, however they had been attending a dance on campus, Henry said.

Both were charged with first degree robbery, first-degree attempted robbery and second-degree conspiracy. They were released on bail after making an initial court appearance.