Suffolk County Police arrested an East Patchogue man following an assault on an elderly man in a Commack parking lot. The incident occurred last week when Robert Whittaker, while panhandling for money in a parking lot on Garet Place, pushed a 79-year-old man at approximately 3:45 p.m. The victim sustained minor injuries during the altercation.
After an investigation by the Fourth Precinct Crime Section, officers responded to a 911 call reporting Whittaker’s presence on East Main Street in Bay Shore today at 4:13 p.m. Fourth Squad detectives subsequently charged Whittaker, 56, of 1 Brookwood Lane, with Assault 2nd Degree, a felony.
Whittaker was held overnight at the Sixth Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on May 15th. Authorities urge anyone with information on this case to contact the Fourth Precinct Crime Section at 631-854-8426.
It’s important to note that a criminal charge is merely an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
