Detectives cuffed a homeless man Friday accused of assaulting an 18-year-old woman on a NoHo street in a random attack earlier this month.
Paul Becks, 45, was booked on a second-degree strangulation charge for the assault that occurred at 12:30 p.m. on March 1 in front of a store on East 8th Street near Mercer Street.
Law enforcement sources said Becks approached the victim without warning and struck her with an unidentified hard object. He then grabbed her by the throat, causing pain and bruising.
Moments later, the suspect took off on foot in an unknown direction.
Officers from the 6th Precinct and EMS units responded to the incident. The victim suffered minor injuries but refused medical attention at the scene.
