Michael Zimmerman
A man is facing allegations that he beat a clerk with a tree branch after the suspect unsuccessfully tried to rob a convenience store in Central Islip on Thursday night, Suffolk County police said.
advertisement
Michael Zimmerman allegedly demanded money from a clerk at the 7-Eleven on Carleton Avenue, but when the victim refused, police said the 31-year-old Ronkonkoma man repeatedly hit him with a large tree branch at 11:30 p.m.
The clerk fought off Zimmerman, who ran out of the store and tried to flee on his motorcycle parked outside, police said.
An off-duty Nassau County police officer was driving by when he saw the suspect being chased by the clerk and a small group of customers, police said.
The officer blocked the suspect’s motorcycle with his vehicle and held Zimmerman until Suffolk police officers arrived to arrest him.
Zimmerman was charged with attempted robbery. He will be arraigned Friday at First District Court in Central Islip.
