An elderly woman who was critically injured in an apparently unprovoked attack in San Francisco’s Chinatown neighborhood on Saturday is a mere 4 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 74 pounds, a prosecutor said today.
James Bartley, 52, was scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon on assault, battery and elder abuse charges for allegedly punching the 94-year-old woman for no apparent reason, but sheriff’s deputies said Bartley is at San Francisco General Hospital on a psychiatric hold.
The victim in the attack was punched several times in the back of the head as she crossed the intersection of Stockton and Sacramento streets at about 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, police said.
She is also at the hospital, where she is being treated for a possible skull fracture and other injuries that are considered life-threatening, although police had said Tuesday that she was showing signs of improvement.
While arguing for a high bail amount for Bartley in court today, Assistant District Attorney Karen Catalona noted the woman’s petite frame and said was “an extremely vulnerable victim.”
Catolona said Bartley has a criminal history in places including Denver, Detroit and Chicago, and would be “a huge flight risk” if he were to post bail.
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Ulmer ordered Bartley held on $275,000 bail.
Bartley is set to return to court Friday for the rescheduled arraignment.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
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