73-Year-Old Man Attacked, Punched and Kicked While Collecting Bottles in Hauppauge; Two Teens Arrested

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. — A 73-year-old man collecting bottles was violently attacked on Tuesday afternoon by a trio of teens in broad daylight at a Hauppauge gas station, and police say one suspect went on to target another older man just an hour later.

The assault occurred at approximately 3:40 p.m. in the parking lot of Bolla Market, located at 504 Route 111.

Police said 18-year-old Keeghan Lynch and two 17-year-old males approached the 73-year-old Hauppauge man while he was collecting bottles in the parking lot.

The two 17-year-olds struck the man with a bottle before punching and kicking him, police said. The group then fled the parking lot in a white Chevrolet Trailblazer.

The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

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About an hour later, the same Chevrolet Trailblazer was involved in a second incident in Shirley, according to police.

At approximately 4:45 p.m., the SUV stopped outside 18 Lisa Court, where one of the 17-year-olds involved in the Hauppauge assault confronted a 67-year-old man riding an e-scooter and demanded that he turn it over, police said.

The man refused, fled, and called 911.

Following an investigation by Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives, the 17-year-old was arrested and charged with third-degree attempted robbery and two counts of second-degree assault — assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon or instrument and assault causing injury to a victim 65 or older by a defendant at least 10 years younger.

The teenager, whose name was not released because of his age, is scheduled to be arraigned in the Youth Part of First District Court.

Lynch was later arrested at his home in Remsenburg at approximately 8:37 p.m., police said.

He was charged with two counts of second-degree assault: assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon or instrument and assault causing injury to a victim 65 or older by a defendant at least 10 years younger.

Lynch is scheduled to be arraigned Saturday, Aug. 15, at First District Court in Central Islip.

Police said the investigation remains ongoing and that the other 17-year-old involved in the Hauppauge assault has been identified but has not yet been apprehended.

Detectives are asking anyone with information about the case, or anyone who believes they may have been a victim, to contact the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8552.