Woman smacked with baton after almost running into man while riding bike in Central Park: NYPD
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) – Police are searching for a man wanted for assaulting a woman on a bike path in Central Park Thursday.
The woman was riding a bike on the bike path near West 96th Street and West Drive around 2 p.m. when she almost collided with the suspect, who was walking on the path, according to authorities.
Police said the man began to yell at the victim and then struck her in the head with what seemed like a collapsible baton. She fell off her bike and onto the ground, according to authorities.
The woman's daughter witnessed the attack and attempted to confront the man while recording a video of him on her cellphone, police said. The man fled the park following the attack.
Police describe the man as around 50 years old with black hair. He was last seen wearing sunglasses, a blue t-shirt, tan cargo shorts and gray sneakers and was carrying a blue hooded sweatshirt.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.