Man arrested after hitting elderly man with large bamboo stick in Petaluma
PETALUMA, Calif. - Police arrested a 34-year-old man suspected of hitting an elderly Petaluma man with a large bamboo stick last week.
The 69-year-old victim, a transient, told police that the suspect hit him in the head with the stick, which he described as a wooden karate sword, in the Steamer Landing Park area about 5 p.m. on March 5.
The elderly man suffered minor injuries and was treated by firefighters at the scene, police said.
The suspect, Anthony Smith of Petaluma, was located a short time later by police on Lakeville Highway and detained.
Police recovered a large bamboo stick with a makeshift handle. Smith, who is also a transient, was booked at the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse and violation of probation.