Jason Ricca
/ Courtesy: Utica police
UTICA -- A Utica man is accused of assaulting an elderly woman onboard a bus.
It happened around 5:20 p.m. Saturday at the bus stop on Genesee and Bleecker Streets.
Utica police say a 70-year-old woman boarded the bus and was looking for a seat. The woman saw there was no room to sit because there was a water bottle on the seat. Police say she asked 28-year-old Jason Ricca, of Genesee Street, if he could move the bottle so she could sit. Police say Ricca told the woman he was too busy. He was allegedly rolling a cigarette at the time.
Police say the woman then picked up the bottle and tried to hand it to Ricca. That's when Ricca allegedly stood up and pushed the woman to the floor. She struck her head and started bleeding. The woman was later transported to St. Luke's hospital for her injuries.
Ricca is charged with third degree assault, a misdemeanor.
