Affidavit: Man accused of attacking older man 'unprovoked' on UT Drag
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A 39-year-old man is facing charges after he was accused of attacking a man "unprovoked" on Guadalupe Street, known as "The Drag" near the University of Texas at Austin, over the weekend, according to a Travis County arrest warrant affidavit.
The suspect was identified in the affidavit as Robert Adams, 39. He faces charges of injury to an elderly individual, theft from a person, and criminal mischief, according to online jail records. He's being held on a bond total of $15,000. Police said because the victim is over the age of 65, police classify him as an "elderly individual."
KXAN has reached out to Adams' attorney for a comment on the incident and will update this story when we receive a response.
An Austin Police Department officer responded to a disturbance call shortly before 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20, to the 2300 block of Guadalupe Street. The call reported that two men were "engaged in a physical altercation," the affidavit said.
When the officer arrived at the scene, he spoke to the victim, who said he was just robbed and that the suspect ran away, according to the affidavit.
The victim told police he was walking down Guadalupe Street when Adams exited a bus, started yelling at him, and "attacked him unprovoked," and punched him seven times in the face and back. The victim also told police Adams tore his jacket off during the incident and damaged it before reaching into the victim's pants pocket and stealing his phone, the affidavit stated.
According to the affidavit, the alleged assault stopped when the victim pulled a knife in self-defense and threatened to stab Adams if he came at him again.
Police were able to find and detain Adams through descriptions provided by two witnesses, the affidavit said. One of those witnesses was identified as someone who works with the West Campus Ambassadors, a security group hired by UT to help assist with safety in West Campus, the affidavit said.
Adams told police he "smacked" a phone out of the man's hand because he felt like the man was stalking him, but he refused to speak further about the incident, according to the affidavit.
Adams was found with two phones and told police one of them wasn't his, the affidavit noted. One of the witnesses also told police that Adams "assaulted [the victim] unprovoked," and punched him several times, then when the victim tried to walk away, Adams kicked him from behind and knocked him down, the affidavit stated.
Adams' charges stem from allegedly stealing the victim's phone, damaging the victim's jacket, and assaulting him, the affidavit said.