Authorities accuse man of punching handicapped woman in face

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (AP) – Authorities in Onslow County have accused a man of punching a handicapped woman in the face and stealing her purse.

The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office told local media outlets that 48-year-old Bernard Tyson is charged with felony larceny and misdemeanor assault on a handicapped person.

According to deputies, Tyson got mad when the woman refused to drive him to a location and started punching the woman in the face and then stole her purse.

Investigators accuse Tyson of punching the woman approximately 15 times and of having a number of stolen items, including a cell phone and a credit card.

Bond for Tyson was set at $5,000. He was scheduled to appear in court Thursday. It’s not known if he has an attorney.

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