By Sasha Gonzales [email protected]
The man accused of kicking an elderly woman on a Bronx subway train was ordered held on $30,000 bond or $15,000 cash bail at his arraignment Sunday, days after video of the assault went viral on social media.
Court papers allege that when accused attacker Marc Gomez, 36, was shown the footage by authorities, he told them: “Yeah, that’s me in the video.”
Read the full criminal complaint: FILE_3324
Gomez repeatedly kicked the homeless 78-year old in her head, neck, and chest while wearing boots, prosecutors said. The attack happened around 3 a.m. on March 10 aboard a northbound 2 train, which was stopped at White Plains Road and Nereid Avenue.
The victim, whose name has not been officially released by authorities, suffered a cut above her left eye – which she had trouble opening after the attack – and bruising to her face and head, according to the criminal complaint.
Gomez was charged with multiple accounts of assault and one count of harassment. He has a prior misdemeanor conviction as well as a pending gun possession case, for which he was free on bail at the time of the subway attack, records show.
A passenger filmed video of the attack, which went viral on social media and sparked criticism of straphangers who stood by watching instead of intervening.
The New York Post reported that Gomez’s attorney, Steven Mechanic of the Legal Aid Society, told the judge at Gomez’s arraignment that the victim was “lying across the seat and wanted all other passengers to move.”
“She said, at that point, ‘I have a knife and I’m going to stab you,’” and flashed “a sharp instrument,” Mechanic said.
Gomez is due back in court March 29.