Metro

Biking NYC tourist bashed by baton-wielding man in daylight Central Park attack: cops

An attacker walloped a 66-year-old English tourist with a baton in a broad-daylight Central Park attack when she nearly veered her bike into him, cops and sources said. 

The woman was pedaling on West 96th Street and West Drive around 2:20 p.m. Thursday when she almost slammed into a man strolling on the same path in the greenspace, police said. 

The stranger started to yell at the woman, snapping, “Learn to ride a f–king bike!” before hitting her in the head with what appeared to be a collapsible baton, authorities and sources said. 

The suspect in the baton assault in Central Park, seen in a grab from surveillance footage, taken by the victim's daughter.
The assailant allegedly yelled, “Learn to ride a f–king bike” before hitting the victim with a baton. NYPD News
The suspect in the baton assault in Central Park, seen in a grab from surveillance footage, taken by the victim's daughter.
The victim’s daughter took a video of the suspect as he fled, cops said. NYPD News

The tourist then fell off the bike and onto the ground, authorities said. 

Her 29-year-old daughter, who witnessed the violent act, confronted the suspect and recorded a cellphone video of him, police said. 

But he ran off and hadn’t been caught by Friday evening, cops said. 

The injured woman was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was listed in stable condition. 

The assailant is described as around 50 years old, with a medium complexion, a medium build and black hair. 

He was last seen wearing sunglasses, a blue T-shirt, tan cargo shorts and gray sneakers. He was carrying a blue hooded sweatshirt.