A Brooklyn homeless shelter resident who allegedly beat up a woman and stole her purse in front of her young son on a Woodhaven street has been locked up on high bail, prosecutors announced on Wednesday.
Derrick Chirse, 57, faces counts of second-degree robbery, second- and third-degree assault, fifth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child. He was held on $100,000 bail and due to return to court on Oct. 19.
If convicted, Chirse faces up to 15 years in prison, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said.
“The allegations against this defendant are extremely troubling. Not only did he apparently feel it necessary to rob a young woman of her personal property, but he also allegedly assaulted her in front of her young son,” Brown said. “Thankfully, video surveillance footage of the defendant fleeing the scene led to his arrest and now he faces a lengthy prison sentence for these alleged actions.”
According to the charges, at around 2 p.m. on Oct. 1, the 35-year-old mom was walking down 84th Street near the Woodhaven/Ozone Park border with her 4-year-old son when she was approached by Chirse. Chirse allegedly asked the mother for her purse, and when she refused, he proceeded to punch her multiple times in the head and chest area.
Law enforcement sources said that the victim briefly lost consciousness, and Chirse forcibly took her purse before fleeing on 84th Street. The young mother was taken to a local hospital, where she was treated for bruising and swelling to the left side of her face and tenderness to her chest and torso.
On Oct. 2, Chirse was arrested at the Kingsboro Star Men’s Shelter. He allegedly admitted to committing this crime and told detectives, in sum and substance, “I wish I never did it. If she would’ve given me the 10 bucks, I wouldn’t have punched her.”
