A Rhode Island man was arrested Friday night after he allegedly assaulted an older person who he thought stole his cell phone at the MBTA's South Station in Boston.
Transit police officers responded to commuter rail track 7 at South Station just before 6 p.m. for a radio call for an unknown disturbance. Officers observed Nestor Herrera, 37, of Providence, screaming at a man, who police say is 60 years of age or older.
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According to transit police, Herrera was using profanities and creating a disturbance as he accused the victim of stealing his cell phone. The officers were unsuccessful in attempting to calm Herrera down, police said.
A concerned bystander informed the officers that she had observed Herrera strike the victim three times in the face with a closed fist after he first accused him of stealing his phone.
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Officers were able to locate Herrera's phone, which had been turned into the lost and found for Keolis Commuter Services. The victim had nothing to do with Herrera's phone being lost, police said.
Based on the victim's age and the suspect's "tumultuous behavior," Herrera was arrested for assault and battery on a person 60 years of age or older following the incident. According to transit police, as officers were taking Herrera into custody, they discovered he had a clear bag on him that contained a white powdery substance.
After officers found the substance, transit police say Herrera stated to them, "Yup, that's cocaine for my personal use."
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Herrera was also charged with possession of a controlled substance pending laboratory results, police said. He was taken to the transit police department headquarters to be booked.
