Cops: L.I. Man Charged With Stealing Ice Cream Cone From Valley Stream Carvel
VALLEY STREAM, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Long Island man is set to be arraigned Thursday after police said a dispute over a free ice cream cone turned violent.
William Hotz is charged with robbery and resisting arrest.
Nassau County police said Hotz walked into a Carvel store in Valley Stream on Wednesday, ordered a $3.50 cone and then tried to pay with an expired coupon for "one free ice cream cone."
Cops: L.I. Man Charged With Stealing Ice Cream Cone From Valley Stream Carvel
Joan Zhou, 55, who has operated the store with her husband for nine years, told 1010 WINS' Mona Rivera that the coupon Hotz gave her had expired back in January.
She told Hotz the coupon was no good and that he needed to pay for the cone, police said.
Hotz then walked out with his ice cream without paying, police said. Zhou went after him and when she confronted him outside, police said he punched her in the face several times.
"Punched me, punched me," Zhou said. "Three times."
Ice Cream Coupon Dispute Ends In Violence
When officers arrived, Hotz refused to be handcuffed and started flailing his arms and twisting his body, police said. With the help of other officers, he was eventually placed under arrest.
Zhou suffered a laceration and swelling to her lip, but refused to go to the hospital, police said.
"Scared. Very, very scared," she told WCBS 880's Sophia Hall. "Nobody ever punched me."
Zhou said she is still in pain and has difficulty eating.
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