Woman Punched At NYC Subway Station Speaks Out About Attack

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A woman who was punched in the face by a stranger at a Brooklyn subway station has opened up about the ordeal as police continue to search for her attacker.

As CBS 2's Dave Carlin reported, the search is on for the man suspected of punching 70-year-old Judith Maroney in the head before running away.

The attack happened Sunday morning at the 4th Avenue-9th Street station in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Maroney told Carlin her nightmare began with her sitting on a bench waiting for the "R" train on Sunday morning.

Next thing she knew, a stranger punched her in the face.

"I was a sitting duck," Maroney said. "It was totally unprovoked. I think I was in shock I had just had my face pummeled."

The retired public school art teacher said she was able to give police a detailed description of her attacker.

Detectives then found the suspect on security video, Carlin reported.

Maroney said the man who punched her never said a word and then calmly and slowly walked away.

She said sitting on the bench probably saved her life.

"The guy was big enough, the way he hauled off, I could have been knocked onto the tracks," Maroney said.

She said she's sharing her story because she wants people to know a dangerous man is on the loose, Carlin reported.

Maroney said she considered taking a cell phone picture of her attacker as he was glaring at her right after the punch, but she worried that taking a picture would bring on more violence.

Detectives said she handled the situation perfectly.

While you can't see her injuries anymore, Maroney said they are still there.

"I must have gone with the punch because when I went to my chiropractor the next day she said I had something similar to whiplash," she said.

Maroney said there were a few other people on the platform when she was punched, but they did not help her. She said it was possible they didn't see the attack, since it happened so fast.

It wasn't long, though, before Maroney returned to the station, taking the same train trip as part of her daily routine.

She admits she had to take a deep breath and steady herself before going back down to the platform.

Maroney said she refuses to let her attacker keep her from living her life.

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