A heartless attacker was apprehended on Thursday for brutally assaulting an 81-year-old woman with a random sucker-punch on the Upper West Side last month, according to authorities.
Hansel Esparragoza, a 37-year-old Staten Island resident with a troubling history of 21 prior arrests, was charged with felony assault in connection with the shocking attack on Geula Freeman at the intersection of West 66th Street and Amsterdam Avenue on September 13.
Esparragoza, who appeared disheveled with scruffy facial hair, was clad in a light green T-shirt, black sweatpants, and rubber slide-on shoes when detectives escorted him out of the 20th Precinct and into a waiting police vehicle on Thursday.
The suspect remained tight-lipped as reporters bombarded him with questions about the assault, refusing to provide any explanation for his actions. Esparragoza’s recent run-ins with the law include arrests in August for petit larceny and in July for endangering a child, both occurring in Staten Island.
Video footage of the attack on Freeman, obtained by Fox 5, captures the assailant initially passing by the victim as she walked her son’s Goldendoodle. Moments later, he abruptly turned around and struck Freeman on the right side of her face, causing her to collapse unconscious on the ground.
Freeman sustained facial and head injuries from the vicious blow and was promptly taken to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital for medical treatment. Recounting the incident, she expressed experiencing amnesia and being unaware of the attack’s specifics, aside from the visible bruises on her face and body.
Although Freeman believes she was not deliberately targeted by the attacker, she hopes for his rehabilitation and urges him to seek help. Despite not taking the assault personally, she has become more cautious while navigating the city streets, especially around strangers.
The elderly victim, who has resided on the Upper West Side since 2007 and frequents Lincoln Center, emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant and maintaining a safe distance from potentially threatening individuals. As Esparragoza awaited arraignment on Thursday evening, Freeman emphasized the need for heightened awareness and precaution in light of the unprovoked attack.
