Woman hospitalized after ‘random’ attack in Merced

Police are looking for a man they believe beat a 73-year-old woman Wednesday morning in a random attack.

The woman was punched in the face and kicked multiple times while she was on the ground, the Merced Police Department said.

“It does appear to have been a random incident,” Lt. Chris Goodwin said.

The woman was taken to a regional hospital where she remained Thursday, listed in stable condition, police said.

Officers responded at 6:13 a.m. Wednesday to an alley in the 100 block of West 20th Street in Merced. Witnesses told police a white male adult approached the woman in the alley. The woman asked the man for a lighter and the man punched her in the face.

“He continued to kick her while she was on the ground,” Goodwin said.

Witnesses chased the man away and called police. The woman suffered injuries that caused swelling to her head and face, police said.

The victim may have been going for a walk in the morning after staying with nearby family members. However, police said, the woman was not able to make any statements to detectives.

Goodwin said the woman was not robbed.

Police are looking for the suspect, described as a white male adult about 6 feet tall. He was last seen wearing “dark clothes.”

Officers are investigating the case as an assault and elder abuse, Goodwin said.

This story was originally published November 6, 2014 at 4:51 PM with the headline "Woman hospitalized after ‘random’ attack in Merced."