VAN BUREN -- A Utica man was arrested for drunk driving after police say he attacked a gas attendant with a hammer.
State Police say they responded to the Warners service area gas station to a report of an attempted robbery and assault with a hammer around 4:00am Monday morning.
Police say they found that 22-year-old Denis Alibegic, of Utica, was intoxicated and had attempted to fill his gas tank without paying for it.
After filling his tank, police say Alibegic went into the attendant’s booth and hit the attendant with a hammer. The attendant was able to fend off Alibegic and call 911.
Police say further investigation revealed that Alibegic had stolen a bottle of vodka from a liquor store in Utica earlier in the evening. He left Utica and drank the bottle of liquor as he traveled west on the Thruway.
Police arrested Alibegic and charged him with DWI, robbery, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. Alibegic will likely face criminal charges for the burglary to the liquor store in Utica pending investigation.
Alibegic was arraigned in the town of Van Buren and was remanded to the Onondaga County Justice Center in lieu of $30,000 bond or $15,000 cash bail. He is scheduled to reappear on June 4.
