Four Grandmothers Beaten With Hammer in Beauty ParlorAttack

A 41-year-old man stormed a beauty salon and bludgeoned four grandmothers with a hammer,fracturing one's skull, before making off with less than $90, police said.

Thomas Leyshon III, of Mountain Top, was arrested after a daylong manhunt Friday.

The women, aged 56 to 76, did not resist butwere beaten anyway, witnesses said. At least onerequired surgery.

"It takes a coward to go after some old women,"said Andy Chopka, grandson of victim JeannaChopka.

Authorities allege Leyshon attacked a co-owner ofHairem Family Hair and Nail Care whiledemanding money from the register and thewomen's purses.

"This is a completely senseless act of brutalityagainst women who were doing nothing morethan spending a day at the beauty parlor,"prosecutor David Lupas said. "These are ... themost vulnerablehttp://www.walmart.com/browse/beauty/hair-color/1085666_1007219_1006999/ of victims."

Leyshon was being held Saturday on $100,000 bail. It was not immediately clear if salon Tamarac hehad a lawyer.

The victims were treated at hospitals for head and facial injuries.