Grand Island, N.Y. (WBEN) - A Grand Island man faces hate crime charges following an assault last month.
Deputies say the incident happened at around 4 a.m. ET back on March 19 at San-Dees Pub on Ferry Road when they responded to an Asian-American female struck with a pool cue.
After speaking with the victim and five other witnesses in the bar, Deputies arrested 46-year-old Charles Vacanti on Wednesday and held him at the Erie County Holding Center until his arraignment Grand Island court on Thursday.
At his arraignment, Vacanti was formally charged with one count of Assault in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime (Class "C" felony) and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree (Class "A" misdemeanor).
"There were some racial slurs that were used by the defendant prior to striking the victim," said Erie County Sheriff John Garcia on Thursday. "It's reprehensible, in itself, and in the manner it was done. This is a 5-foot woman that was struck by a 5-foot-7, 270-pound man with a pool stick."
Garcia says the woman was struck in the head by Vacanti with the pool stick, resulting in physical injury. While the Erie County Sheriff was unsure of the severity of the victim's injuries on Wednesday, the Erie County District Attorney's Office says the woman received stitches for a cut to her upper lip, on top of other pain and swelling to her nose and mouth.
Neither individual knew each other at the time of the incident.
Vacanti is scheduled to return to court for a felony hearing on May 4 at 5:15 p.m. ET. While prosecutors requested for the defendant to be remanded, Vacanti was released on his own recognizance.
A temporary order of protection was issued on behalf of the victim.
