TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River man was arrested twice on Saturday after he allegedly got into altercations at two Wawas after he refused to wear a mask to go into the stores, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office said Monday.

Authorities said Stephen Breza, 70, allegedly became belligerent when he was told to wear a mask, a requirement of an executive order issued April 8 by Gov. Phil Murphy that required both employees and customers of retail establishments to wear face coverings to help prevent the transmission of the new coronavirus. Toms River police were called to the Wawa at 179 Route 37 East, near Hooper Avenue, about 11 a.m. Breza allegedly became belligerent when he was told to wear a mask, and started screaming, flailing his arms, and cursing at employees, according to the information from the Attorney General's Office.

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He is accused of threatening to hit a customer in the store with a pipe, and when police arrived, he screamed at officers and resisted arrest, the attorney general said.