MIDDLETOWN – A 46-year-old Middletown man is in the Orange County Jail lieu of $250,000 bail following a violent attack on another man in the city.
Minutes after 11 a.m. on Sunday, Middletown Police received a call reporting a fight in the area of 8-10 East Main Street.
Desk officer Sergeant Jordan McInerney saw a man on top of another man on the sidewalk, violently assaulting him.
Officers responded to the scene where they found an Asian man on the sidewalk, bleeding profusely from significant facial injuries.
Police administered first aid to the victim while others searched for the suspect, identified as David Johnson. He was located hiding in a second-floor maintenance closet in an apartment at 14 East Main Street and property belonging to the victim was located on him.
Johnson is a level two sex offender currently registered with the Middletown Police Department, with a felony conviction for sexual abuse.
He was familiar to police as he was arrested on Friday, March 10 and charged with robbery. It was alleged that on Tuesday, March 7, he threatened the store clerk at 76 East Main Street and stole some $200 from the cash draw.
Johnson was arraigned and mandatorily released on his own recognizance as the charge against him did not qualify for bail under the state’s bail reform laws that took effect in 2020.
Middletown Police had several interactions with Johnson on March 11 and 12 leading to the assault and robbery of the victim at 8-10 East Main Street.
On Saturday, March 11 at 12:01 a.m., a few hours after Johnson was released from police custody, officers responded to Johnson’s residence for a reported disturbance in which neighbors reported that he was acting erratically, attempting to barricade a common door in the apartment building.
Johnson refused to talk to officers and did not exhibit behavior that could result in him being charged or removed from the residence.
Later that morning, he was observed attempting to enter several locked doors at Middletown Police HQ. He was advised entrance at those locations is prohibited.
Johnson was believed to be suffering a mental health emergency and was reportedly transported to Garnet Health Medical Center by a civilian for evaluation; he was released a short time later.
At 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 12, police were requested to assist the Orange County Mobile Response Team with conducting a mental health evaluation at Johnson’s home. He was interviewed and it was not recommended that he be taken to the hospital for treatment.
An hour later, police were called to DeFillippi’s Bakery at 26 East Main Street where Johnson was reportedly yelling at staff members. Employes did not wish to press charges, but Johnson was advised not to return.
About two minutes later, officers were called to the assault and robbery at 8-20 East Main Street.
Johnson was charged with felony assault and remanded.
Police said at this time there does not appear to be any further threat to the Middletown community.
Police officials said the incident “undoubtedly highlights the challenges that police departments and communities across New York State are facing in light of a lack of mental health care and criminal justice reforms that do not hold violent offenders accountable for their actions.”
The top brass said Middletown Police are “committed to doing everything possible to keep our community safe and ensure a high quality of life for our residents and businesses owners.”
