EAST FISHKILL – Three teenagers are accused of violently assaulting a 66-year-old man at an East Fishkill fast food restaurant early last week. Two of the teens have been charged as adults and the third will be processed as a juvenile due to the “Raise the Age” laws.
Joseph Portanovaa and Richard Salvatore, both 18, have been charged with felony assault causing injury to a victim 65 or older after the two, along with their younger associate, attacked a senior citizen at the McDonald’s restaurant on Route 376 in Hopewell Junction on August 22, at approximately 7:30 pm. The younger associate will be processed in the Youth Part of the Dutchess County Court while Salvatore and Portanova will be prosecuted as adults.
According to the victim and a witness, five teens entered the restaurant and were cursing loudly while speaking with each other, with disregard for the patrons seated in the dining area. The victim asked them to refrain from cursing due to the presence of a woman with two young children who were present. They yelled obscenities at him, saying “F#ck you, mind your business!” The man approached the group and told them to take their behavior outside – the teens, followed by the senior exited the restaurant. Three of them allegedly surrounded the man and continued yelling at him. When he turned to re-enter the dining area, he was spat upon. When he turned to the teens, one spat on his face and three of them proceeded to repeatedly violently beat him, causing him to become dazed and fall to the ground. When he attempted to stand up and seek safety in the store, they punched him again, causing him to fall once again before they fled to an adjoining business.
A patron of the McDonald’s drive-thru offered assistance and the victim re-entered the store and awaited the police who had been called.
East Fishkill Police arrived and interviewed the victim and witnesses who told them the assailants had fled to the neighboring Brookmeade Plaza, where three were detained and transported to the police station.
