Man beaten, left in coma after fender bender in Flushing, Queens

ByCeFaan Kim WABC logo
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Man attacked, left in coma after fender bender
CeFaan Kim has the latest details.

FLUSHING, Queens (WABC) -- A 68 year-old Queens grandfather has been in a coma for a week after an apparent road rage attack.

Chun Man Tse's family says at best, if he survives, he will be paralyzed.

It started with a fender bender around noon last Friday on Colden Street in Flushing.

Prosecutors have charged 44 year-old Cleamon Anderson with felony assault. Anderson has previous arrests for drugs, grand larceny and robbery.

His sister, an NYPD school safety officer, is also accused of trying to cover it up the incident. She was in his car when the incident occurred.

She has been suspended by the NYPD.

She and her brother told police Tse accidentally fell and hit his head on the ground.

But surveillance video shows it was Anderson landing a viscous blow to Tse's head that put the retired carpenter in critical condition. He's being treated at Cornell Medical Center.

Tse's son says he's angry, saying "he would never raise his fists toward anybody or push anybody that would harm someone."

State Assemblymember Ron Kim of Queens has been assisting Tse's family.

"Everyday Mr. Tse drives to the senior center to volunteer for hundreds of seniors, volunteers for his church. He was doing his daily thing in the middle of the afternoon and he was struck down by this attacker," he told Eyewitness News.

Community Activist Karlin Chan added, "Mr. Tse measures about 5'5" and weighs about 115 pounds. He's a small man. For the assailant to hit him and blindside him so hard it's an act of a cowardice."

Anderson did not enter a plea when he was arraigned.

He's due back in court on Thursday.