Bridgeport Police have arrested Samuel Bryant, 42, in connection with a violent September assault that left an 81-year-old woman injured near the intersection of Barnum Avenue and Central Avenue on the East Side. The attack occurred on September 16th as the victim was returning home from a church meeting. She told police she saw a man and woman standing in the street, and when she heard the woman scream, she pulled over to check on them. The man then allegedly opened her driver’s side door and repeatedly punched her in the face and body, knocking off her eyeglasses and hearing aids before fleeing east on Barnum Avenue with the woman. The victim said she had no idea why she was attacked and reported that the woman with the suspect had been pleading with him to stop.
On October 16th, detectives received information that the same man and woman were back in the area. Patrol officers located both individuals and identified them by name, allowing the Detective Bureau to complete the investigation and secure a felony arrest warrant for Bryant.
On Thursday, officers responded to a report of a suspicious person squatting inside a vacant East End residence. When officers entered, they found Bryant inside and took him into custody on the outstanding warrant. He was charged with Assault in the Second Degree on an Elderly Person and Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, issued a $20,000 bond, and scheduled for arraignment on Friday. Police say the woman who was with Bryant during the assault has not been charged.
The victim suffered injuries to her face and arm in the attack. Anyone with additional information is urged to contact Detective Angel Llanos at (203) 581-5238.