Police: Brooklyn Man Arrested In Manspreading Assault On The Subway

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A man accused of punching a Brooklyn woman in the face on the subway after she complained about him manspreading has been arrested, police say.

Police arrested 56-year-old Derek Smith, of Brooklyn, and charged him with assault Saturday.

Sam Saia said she was attacked while riding the N train Thursday morning.

"I sat down and I existed, and I think this guy had a problem with that. He just started manspreading me extra and pushing me into the wall," she said. "I just looked at him and said, 'Alright, just calm down, just relax.'"

But that advice proved to be a big mistake.

"He just started looking at me and said, 'B***c, don't ignore me,' and he started elbowing me. So I looked at him and [he punched me], and I banged my head into the wall. After that, I just felt blood," she said.

A Good Samaritan came to Saia's rescue and forced Smith off the train.